The Last Hurrah

Starring:Spencer Tracy, Jeffrey Hunter, Dianne Foster, Pat O'Brien, Basil Rathbone, Donald Crisp, James Gleason, Edward Brophy, John Carradine, Willis Bouchey, Basil Ruysdael, Ricardo Cortez, Wallace Ford, Frank McHugh, Carleton Young, Frank Albertson, Bob Sweeney, Edmund Lowe, William Leslie, Anna Lee
Director: John Ford
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Hollywood's Mayoral Politics
Great film with one "flaw"
An average movie!
The Last Hurrah
Spence

The Last Hurrah
Starring: Spencer Tracy , Jeffrey Hunter , Dianne Foster , Pat O'Brien , and Basil Rathbone
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000K3U5
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Customer Reviews:

Hollywood's Mayoral Politics.......2007-05-03

There is a torchlight parade for Frank Skeffington, a famous politician in a New England city. He is running for a fifth term as mayor. Frank is available to every man and woman in the state. Then he looks over his opponents. Next he holds court for his visitors. We see how a newspaper slants the news for their candidate. One of the columnists is Skeffington's nephew, Adam Caulfield. Politics is the greatest spectator sport in America. But its changing; the future is with radio and TV to reach the voters. [This will require huge sums of money and tilt power to the super-rich.] Skeffington explains how the feud began when Grandma worked as a maid to the Force family. Her son became Mayor and Governor, hence the bad feelings. Skeffington's son is a playboy who may never do well. The film explains why a candidate has to be careful what he does. Skeffington shows Adam the old tenement where he was born and raised. Skeffington attends a wake and tries to help a poor widow (a low priced funeral).

The banks refused a loan for urban renewal and public housing (they don't want to lose their profits from slum tenements). Skeffington believes government should work for all the people. A political appointment as fire chief (non-elected?) is used to obtain the loan (it could embarrass a wealthy family). We see how TV broadcasts are rigged for the coalition candidate. But the pet dog doesn't follow the script! [This scene is hilarious!] Is an engaging rogue better than a fool for mayor? Are the educated youth avoiding politics? Skeffington explained how he settled conflicting claims for a statue in the park. It is important to not make enemies. The old mechanical voting machines are in use (they can't be fixed like computerized models). At election night the returns are tallied to the cheers of the people at campaign headquarters. But the results aren't as good as expected. The cheers give way to silence. There is a sad ending to this story.

This film shows how money from big corporations can elect a novice to a top political office. [No mention of the next election.] This Hollywood version of municipal politics avoids the reality of urban renewal. The destruction of old neighborhoods had a bad effect on small businesses and relationships. Only big corporations could buy the larger plots assembled from small owners. It was a transfer of property from ordinary citizens to wealthy corporations. Small homes were destroyed and people were displaced. Jobs and shopping moved to remote malls and industrial parks resulting in the decline of cities.

Great film with one "flaw".......2007-03-07

I write as a native of Boston old enough to remember, barely, James Michael Curly campaign signs ("Curly Gets Things Done"). This is a great movie with one flaw, and I don't mean to take anything at all away from the inestimable Spencer Tracy. But fidelity to the book and to the memory of Curly CRIED OUT for the move to be presented in that unique English called a Boston accent. Absent that accent, those cadences, that "music," the otherwise wonderful performances in the movie fall somewhat flat.

Still, the movie has many touching details. The Irish wake. The cops and firemen at Skeffington's beck and call. The towering, condescending Yankee-patrician rage of Amos Force toward Skeffington. Poor Force's digestion was surely challenged during that Plymouth Club dining scene. And the figure of Skeffington's faithful little, not-too-bright, hat-holding hanger-on and gofer, Ditto, was evocative. Especially at the end when Ditto, alone with his shadow, slowly climbs the stairs to bid farewell to his master who has just died.

An average movie!.......2007-01-19

I like this movie, because Basil Rathbone is a part of it.
He plays so wonderful, like in his other movies.
But "The last Hurrah" is a little bit of boring, too.
On this DVD is no bonus-material, and for the price it's
not so good.
It's only for fans of Basil, Spencer or the book!

The Last Hurrah.......2007-01-10

One of the few movies that was as good as the book. Maybe because it followed the book faithfully.

Spence.......2006-08-19

John Ford's 1958 classic is one of the finest film testaments to Spencer Tracy, one of cinema history's most charismatic, talented, and scene-dominating actors. Tracy is perfectly cast as Frank Skeffington, the Irish-bred mayor of a vaguely New Englandy town, a man who learned to play the political game the old-fashioned way and manages to look righteous even when he's breaking the rules. There are a wealth of scene-stealers along for the ride, including Pat O'Brien, James Gleason, Basil Rathbone, and John Carradine, but Tracy never loses a single battle to any of them. Gable once called him "the best we've got." If you wanna know why, just watch this film.

Average customer rating:

Last Hurrah for Chivalry
Starring: Last Hurrah for Chivalry
Manufacturer: Genius Products, Inc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Release Date: 2007-07-24

Description

In one of his early films, acclaimed director John Woo crafts an action-packed tale of a son who recruits two master swordsmen to help avenge his father's murder.

Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick - The Last Hurrah - Drama in Bahama

Average customer rating:

The Last Hurrah A Must Have
It Should Not Have Ended This Way
Ali's Sad Finale to Boxing
A sad and final chapter to a colorful boxing career.
Guilty Pleasure

Muhammad Ali vs. Trevor Berbick - The Last Hurrah - Drama in Bahama
Starring: Muhammad Ali , and Trevor Berbick
Manufacturer: Rhino
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Last Round - Chuvalo vs. Ali
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Muhammad Ali - The Greatest Collection
Champions Forever: World Heavyweight Champs!
45 Fantastic Fights of the Century

ASIN: B00005YUP4
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Customer Reviews:

The Last Hurrah A Must Have.......2007-03-09

Ali vs Berbick - The Last Hurrah is a must have for any Muhammad Ali
fan! Although it was a sad event when The Greatest retired forever, the
fight itself had reminders of what once was. This DVD evokes emotion
as you watch Ali enter the ring silently, as if being led to the gallows.
But yet he shows flashes of his once brilliant skill; he wasn't just a
"victim" as had been a year earlier against Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes.
All in all, though it may bring a tear to your eye as a fan of the man known as "The Greatest", this DVD is definitely a "must have" in any Ali collection! It is, after all, his final fight.

It Should Not Have Ended This Way.......2006-12-26

It was a fight that had to happen outside the United States because Muhammad Ali could not get licensed due to neurological concerns that could no longer be ignored, which, according to Jack Newfield, was the case prior to the Larry Holmes debacle that took place about 14 months prior to this match.

In that bout, Holmes pleaded several times for the referee to stop the match as he sometimes pulled his punches just enough not to inflict additional damage on a battered, weary & defenseless Ali. Newfield later reported that a neurological exam taken by Ali before that match revealed damage that should have prevented him from ever entering the ring.

But with the beating at the hands of Holmes dismissed as a medication problem for a thyroid condition and Newfield's revelations coming years later, it was on to the Bahamas for a bout that drew very little interest from fans or the media. It wasn't as if Ali had any hope of regaining the magic of years past, it was a case of wishing for the best possible outcome under such sad circumstances.

Berbick - who went on to briefly hold one of the heavyweight titles - had lost a well-fought decision to Holmes and could throw heavy punches, which he showed in the Ali fight, hurting the former champion with tremendous body shots.

Ali was marginally sharper in this bout, though his diminished reflexes could no longer be casually dismissed as being from a reaction to medication. The fight may have been scored "even" until the closing three rounds, when Berbick began to measure & tag a tiring Ali. I feel it can be successfully argued that Berbick carried Ali and only wanted to do enough to win and not embarrass "The Greatest."

After the fight, Berbick said he didn't want to hurt Ali and had nothing but kind words for him.

Boxing is littered with such endings to brilliant careers. The sport - due to its nature - is very unforgiving, with brutal beatings perhaps negated by the compassion of an opponent. In too many ways, this match is not only a tribute to Ali's professional pride, but importantly to Berbick's understanding that he had so much to lose when stepping into the ring with an overmatched legend.

Ali's Sad Finale to Boxing.......2005-09-10

After suffering a horrible beating at the hands of Champion Larry Holmes in 1980, Muhammad Ali refuses to believe that the magical blend of extraordinary skill, ring savvy, and sheer force of personality are gone. Ali blames his loss to Holmes not on his aging battle scarred nervous system, but on the fact that his doctor prescribed for him a thyroid medication (for his sluggishness) that rendered him unable to sweat and left him physically weak. While the medication may have contributed to Ali's defeat, clearly, the primary reason was his magnificent reflexes and boxing skills were eroded to the extent that he was but a shell of his former brilliance. It had been developing for years. Ali had not knocked anybody out for nearly 5 years. Fighters that he could have once beaten with his eyes closed now were giving him real challenges. Earnie Shavers had rung his bell and nearly defeated him. The rank amateuristic Leon Spinks had taken his title and given him a beating (although Ali regained his title in another close match with Spinks 6 months later). Clearly, the once untouchable Ali was now mortal, and fighters he would have easily disposed of in his prime were giving him real battles. And now he'd bean beaten up by Larry Holmes, a savage beating where fight fans, watching through tears, had witnessed the end of the Ali legend.

Even so, Ali's tremendous ego would not let him admit that he was through, and so, in an effort to perhaps redeem himself and to find out if in fact his skills were gone, Ali signed to fight one last time with Trevor Berbick in 1981 (21 years after his professional carerr had started!). The fight took place in the Bahamas. Berbick was just 27 and in his fighting prime. Ali took this fight seriously and trained hard, but despite his preparation, he simply had lost too much and it clearly shows.

The fight is surprisingly even. Berbick should have dominated the aged Ali, but it is a testament to Ali's former greatness that he was able to make this a contest. To be blunt, Ali looks terrible. While his body "looks" good, his grace and fluidity are gone. He looks clumsy as he throws combinations (Ali clumsy? - blasphemy!). His once lighting jab is now average at best and packs no hurt. He even appears to lose his balance occasionally and comes close to tottering over. In short, the most graceful heavyweight fighter that ever lived now looks like a stumbling old man. And yet, Ali's fierce fighting spirit will not relent. Ali is in the final fight of his life and he wants to go out giving his best effort. He aggressively fights Berbick and is not afraid to wade in and trade blows with the younger, stronger fighter. Berbick lands some terrific head blows, shots that Ali would have once deflected or pulled his head away from easily, and Ali lands some good shots of his own, even stunning Berbick several times. But Ali's courageous effort is not enough. His reflexes are slow, too slow for a fighter, and his punching power and snap gone. Ali sees opennings but he is not quick enough to capitalize on them, and before he can tell his right hand to fire, the openning is gone. For a fight fan who recalls the younger Ali this fight is painful to watch.

And so, the great Ali's career as a fighter is over; even Ali admits as much, calling his career has ended after the fight. And while we may feel a sense of sadness for another great fighter's passing, Ali certainly went out holding his head high, giving it his best shot, and having no excuses to fall back on. Ali was the greatest heavyweight champion to ever don boxing attire and there will never be another like him. Still, his former fighting career lives on in fight films, and his new career as world evangelist goes on to this day.

Ali enriched the human condition with this irrepressible personality, his god-like athletic talent, and his quick wit. humor, and charm. His last fight is sad to watch, but it is a fitting last chapter to the Ali boxing story. Ali the boxer was done, Ali the man contines on.

Jim "Konedog" Koeing, Boxing Fan

A sad and final chapter to a colorful boxing career........2002-10-12

Muhammad Ali was a shell of his former self when he stepped into the ring for his final fight against Trevor Berbick. You can see that even in 1981, he had that frozen, Parkinson's look on his face. Like the last reviewer said, you were afraid to watch the fight. But at the same time, you couldn't turn away, either.

But the fight really wasn't that bad. And after eight rounds, the fight was pretty darn close. But in rounds nine and ten. Berbick pounded on Ali, who was looking pretty old and tired and beat up.

It was sad because you could see that Ali knew what to do. But that he didn't hav the speed or the reflexes to pull the trigger at the right time. He would have creamed Berbick ten years earlier. And he would have gotten the decision even five years earlier.

But on this night, we saw an Ali who had been conquered by Father Time. Buy this video if you want to own the last chapter of a storied career. The video comes with a second video of a long, cumbersome, and boring one hour press conference.

Guilty Pleasure.......2002-07-08

Watching this video is like viewing a traffic accident. You don't want to watch and you know you shouldn't, but you can't help yourself. This film is like the flip side to Will Smith's film "Ali," which showed Muhammad at the top of his game. In the "Last Hurrah," we get to see the older Ali, long past his prime and for all accounts and purposes, a "shot" fighter. He's got nothing left as a boxer and sadly, he's a shadow of his former public persona. During the press conference, Ali is hard to understand and his face shows little emotion.

The fight itself is good, bad and ugly. The actual bout is a lot better than I'd thought it be. Ali isn't the flat footed, motionless fighter from the Holmes fight. He actually is quite animated, punching and jabbing and trying hard to contain Berbick. The bad is that Ali puts on a sad imitation of the fighter he used to be. Desperately attempting to rope a dope, motion Berbick forward and dance around the ring. None of it works and Ali ends up looking foolish. The ugly is the sheer physical beating that the young, very strong Berbick gives Ali. To look at Trevor, only 27 at the time, it makes you fear that he might kill Ali. And a lot of his head punches are quite scary. Even more so in hindsight, knowing about Ali's brain injuries.

Amazon.com

In the Chinese wu hsia (martial chivalry) genre, sword-swinging heroes are often referred to as "altruists," and it's that aspect of the legend that gets a workout in this 1978 John Woo effort. Kao (Lau Kong), the duplicitous pivotal character, has purchased a beautiful wife for 1,000 taels of gold; alas, his rival, the prodigious fighter Pei, has paid her 2,000 taels to kill him. The moral is that when loyalty can be purchased, it no longer exists. The central action unfolds against this backdrop of a cynical, mercenary world. Kao selects a couple of fighters as soldiers in his quest for revenge, but being rare and noble souls they won't fight for money alone. Only after Kao, in a calculated move, helps Chang's dying mother will the fighters agree to take the case. This is only a moderately successful action movie, but it was a crucial stepping-stone in Woo's career: the action scenes, the highly emotional friendships, and the romantic music recall Chang Cheh, who Woo credits as an inspiration for his later gangster pictures, A Better Tomorrow and The Killer. The mournful resignation, the fading values, even the final assault on the baddie's headquarters, all these flourishes became staples of the Hong Kong gang films of the 1980s--though the gang flicks can't boast eccentric characters like the Sleeping Wizard, who fights in his sleep. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

LOVE Wei Pai.......2007-03-04

I have seen Wei Pai in three of the Shaw brothers martial arts films and i never knew how much they down played his skills until i saw Last Hurrah for Chivalry. His character is so likable (which is a change from the characters that he played in the Shaw brothers films..although i liked every character that he played) and he such a skilled fighter. Not to mention that he is sooo adorably cute.....(the guys reading this aren't going to care about that comment, but i just had to add it). Damian Lau's character (Green suit) is a great compliment to Wei Pai's character Chang Sam. His sword play and sense of humor are great. Also the friendship between the two is very touching. I'm not a big fan of John Woo's movies but this one is by far a great one. And growing up on movies such as the kid with the golden arm and 5 deadly venoms, i know what a good martial arts film looks like. :) When i first got my DVD i watched it 2 times back to back. it was just that good. I watched the English Dub and also watched it in english subtitles. Both are very good. If you are into sword fights, male bonding and a great storyline then get this movie...you won't be dissapointed

Old "skool" Kung Fu!1.......2006-07-02

I was never one for old school kung with swords kickers with swords play,,,,,however, I was overwhelmed by the hype right here on amazon,,therefore, I went out to get this one,,,,,,three words for this flick,,WOW, WOW, Wow,,this flick was simply awesome,,,the choreography and the cinematography off the hook. I enjoyed this flick from start to finish,,,truly entertaining!!

GREAT MOVIE.......2005-11-14

This is one of the best martial arts movie I have in my collection. great sword play! lots of action. My movie had sub-titles so it didn't take away anything from the movie. great ending!

I hate using this cliche: Buy it today!.......2005-03-26

I'm not a hardcore martial arts fan. But this DVD quickly became my favourite guilty pleasure. The dubbing is C grade even by 1970's era Hong Kong standards. The 'music' will soon have ya pressing the mute button. That said, the final two fights blew me away. The fun starts with the appearence of 'sleeping sword'. From there until the end, the action left me slack-jawed. This film was the main claim to fame for the two leads. I tracked down most of their other flicks, but these latter works fade to a pale pink in comparison.

My favorite Cantonese film........2004-05-20

I'm no John Woo Fan, but I never get sick of watching this over & over. Good plot, great costumes, an overly suggestive & touching relationship between 2 attractive guys, almost no crappy special effects at all, it's really ammusing at times, & the dubb is actually good,which is in itself a miracle.

Product Description

This documentary shows the details of what happened to the life and career of the 60's cult entertainer Tiny Tim. Through various interviews and archival footage, we are taken on a journey through the world of Tiny Tim.

Customer Reviews:

A "Tiny" documentary.......2007-03-26

This is, (as far as I know,) the only documentary of Tiny Tim, therefor it's importance to Tiny's fans. It is unfortunately a very amateurish effort with little to no explanation of the clips, scenes and interviews. Poor video and audio throughout. But until something better is produced this is an absolute must for anyone who has an interest in this true American eccentric talent.

Amateur tribute and historical document.......2007-03-01

"Tiny Tim - The Last Hurrah" is an amateur documentary produced by associates from Tiny's final decade: his manager Gil Morse, and philanthropist friend Alan Shawn Feinstein.

This is primarily composed of interview segments with friends and associates who knew and worked with Tiny from 1986-1996. The main focus is his manager, Gil Morse, and his touring companion, country singer Robbie Lynn. We also meet about ten other characters (venue owners, friends, a bodyguard, et cetera). They share recollections of Tiny, and it is quite interesting.

The footage of Tiny performing is sparse, incomplete, and used more as a background to narration than a focus of the documentary. The footage of Tiny Tim is good to see, but it is very amateurishly shot and the audio is of a lower quality.

There is a small amount of television footage... the very beginning features about a minute of Tiny Tim performing "Livin' In The Sunlight, Lovin' In The Moonlight" on the Tonight Show in 1968; later we witness a brief snippet of Tiny renewing his vows with second wife Miss Jan, broadcast live from Spooky World in the late-80's. (Ironically, they split up a few days after the broadcast.)

The post-production is... odd. There are animated sequences that feel very out of place, and certainly contribute nothing. At one point a photo of Tiny is shown shaking back and forth, with "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Ha" by Napoleon XIV playing. This has nothing to do with the documentary and is not even relevant (i.e., if they were talking about Tiny having a breakdown, it MIGHT have made sense...) Also, footage from the horror film "Blood Harvest" (starring Tiny Tim) is shown, seemingly at random, with absolutely no explanation of what it is, or why it's there.

So, for $19.95 you get a DVD-R (this is apparently duplicated on somebody's computer) of interviews, interspersed with occasional footage of Tiny Tim performing and talking to fans. I would not recommend this for the casual Tiny Tim fan, but completists and die-hard fans will certainly find the interviews interesting, and enjoy watching the live footage.

There are no "secrets" to be learned, but overall, one gets the impression that this documentary was assembled by people who genuinely admired Tiny Tim, and the effect is that of good-intentioned sincerity.

Tiny Tim Great Performer.......2006-12-18

For the casual listener Tiny Tim was a brief novelty act. This DVD shows that he was in fact a versatile and outstanding performer who really impressed the audience. The material here was taken mostly from the last ten years of his life when he was touring the US and Canada with Robbin Lynn and her country and western band. In addition to Tin Pan Alley songs Tiny sings bits of "You Call Everybody Darlin'" and "Then I'd Be Satisfied With Life", a truly great song written by George M Cohan and performed by Tiny on his first LP but otherwise totally unknown. A complete version of "Remember Your Name an Address" sung by Tiny at the opening of a fleamarket is another highlight. I hope they make a sequel with More Tiny Tim and less narration.

Tiny Tim: The Last Hurrah - A Message From The Post Production Department!.......2006-08-31

In late 2004, Unicow! Productions finished creating a documentary about Tiny Tim, the eccentric from the 60s who used to appear on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show with his ukulele. His single, Tiptoe Through The Tulips, hit big! Soon after, he disappeared...

This documentary details what his ventures were up until his death in 1996. Find out what happened; find out what he was doing; find out where he was doing what he was doing...

On a personal note, editing the movie, I had no idea who Tiny Tim was. I had no idea the cult following he had/has. It was truly amazing to hear all the great things people had to say. He was an amazing person and I will regret never meeting him. There are some huge secrets about his life and death in this documentary revealed after over 15 years and I recommend highly for any fans or anyone who'd love to know all about him and where he ended up.

Enjoy this tale and thanks for supporting us!!!

Average customer rating:

Last Hurrah for Chivalry

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Challenge of Death
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