Gary Cooper Classics (Fighting Caravans, A Farewell to Arms, Meet John Doe, Stolen Jools)

Starring:Wallace Beery, Buster Keaton, Jack Hill (II), J. Farrell MacDonald, Edward G. Robinson, George E. Stone, Eddie Kane, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Allen 'Farina' Hoskins, Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Norman 'Chubby' Chaney, Mary Ann Jackson, Shirley Jean Rickert, Dorothy DeBorba, Bobby 'Wheezer' Hutchins, Pete the Dog, Polly Moran, Norma Shearer, Hedda Hopper
Director: William C. McGann, David Burton, Otto Brower
Studio: Genius Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
4 movies on 2 DVD's

1. Fighting Caravans (1931, run time 80 minutes) Also starring Lili Damita
A young frontiersman (Cooper) facing a misdemeanor jail term, talks French-born Felice (Damita) into posing as his wife to avoid being arrested. They join a wagon train headed West, and he is sole trail guide as they battle Indians and a villanous gun-runner. Their seesaw relationship provides an interesting love theme. Based on a Zane Grey novel.

2. A Farewell To Arms (1932, run time 83 minutes) Also starring Helen Hayes
Based on Ernest Hemingway's novel, this is a World War I love story about paramedic Lt. Henry (Cooper) and nurse Catherine Barkley (Hayes). This poignant, ill-fated romance takes place in Italy where the two fall in love and will stop at nothing to be together. Academy Award Nominations: Best Picture; Best Art Direction.

3. Meet John Doe (1941, run time 135 minutes) Also starring Barbara Stanwyck
A suicidal down-and-outer, "John Doe" (Cooper) is manipulated by an ambitious politician and a newspaper writer (Stanwyck). This Depression-era parable illustrates the decency of the common man triumphing over cynicism, big-money influence and power. Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Story.

Customer Reviews:

Gary Cooper in a Three-cornered Hat!.......2007-07-03

I love this film. This one had an impact on me when I was just a boy and saw it in B&W on TV. I used recreate the after-math of the masacre at the fort with my toy soldiers. Sure the story line stretches plausibility a bit (Catching the limb while going over the falls with Paulette Goddard hanging on your neck is a bit much even for Coop!) but not nearly so much as the things I am asked to accept as reality in modern CGI movies (as in any sequence in the latest remake of King Kong.)

I have to love Boris Karloff as an Indian chief and Miss Goddard as the indentured slave as well as Gary Cooper as an early American freedom fighter. The DeMille touches in the battle scenes and the "almost historical" feel of the film are pleasures as well.

Put this one on the shelf with "Last of the Mohicans," (when will we get the version from the 30's?)"Drums Along the Mohawk" and "Allegheny Uprising" for entertaining films of pre-revolutionary American "almost history" and enjoy.

classic Cooper , classic Demille...stunning transfer!!.......2007-06-20

Unlike the other terrific reviews that discuss the story and movie...i want to weigh in on the DVD...its terrific! Glorious color and sharp as a tack! I've been disappointed lately with several older FOX films on DVD but this is nothing short of glorious! If you are a fan of Cooper...don't hesitate! Paulette Goddard is delicious.

They Don't Make Movies Like this Anymore .......2007-06-17

"Unconquered" is a great historical epic set in pre-Revolutionary America with a "fight the enemy and never surrender" message. Gary Cooper owns the film. When he is on the screen, as is usually the case with his flicks, all the other characters revolve around him.

Cooper plays Captain Holden who is sent on a doomed mission to make peace with Indian tribes that have already decided on war. Holden's main nemesis is a traitor named "Garth" (played by Howard DaSilva) who has not only provided arms to the natives, but who is also secretly in league with them.

The romantic sub-plot involves an indentured servant, Abby Hale (played by Paulette Goddard), who is bought and freed by Holden only to be illegally re-enslaved by Garth. Both Holden and Garth are enamoured of Miss Hale, but you can easily guess which one of the two she loves back.

"Unconquered" exudes good old fashioned conservative American values and, partly for that reason, they don't make movies like this today.

Another reason you won't see a film like this today is because of it's politically incorrect portrayal of Native Americans. American Indians did torture, murder and sometimes even cannibalize settlers, including women, children and infants, but, today, Hollywood is unwilling to portray them as having been anything other than noble, peace-loving ecologists.

This DVD even has an "Introduction" warning the viewer that the White people are all portrayed as "good" and the Indians as "bloodthirsty." This is a pretty stupid thing to say given that the main villain in the film, Garth, is White. Why isn't there an introduction to the "Dancing with Wolves" DVD warning us about how, in that film, Indians are all portrayed as "good" and Whites are portrayed as "bloodthirsty"?

Outstanding.......2007-05-21

UNCONQUERED remains one of my favorite films of colonial America. The ever stoic Gary Cooper represents the backbone of the spirit of America. This film tells a great adventure tale with a lot of atmosphere of perhaps what those time my actually have been like. A visual treat in that respect.

Very Enjoyable.......2007-05-13

This film is one of Gary Coopers best. It is so good I have it in dvd and vhs. He is the greatest. They just don't have stars now like they did then and they don't make movies like they did back then. I feel sorry for the young adults now who really don't know what a good movie really is. I would recommend this movie to everyone.

Average customer rating:

Very fine acting...but a flawed movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
"Any Man's death diminishes me "
Excellent Hemingway historical fiction
for whom the bell tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls
Starring: Gary Cooper , Ingrid Bergman , Akim Tamiroff , Arturo de Córdova , and Vladimir Sokoloff
Director: Sam Wood
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Old Man and the Sea
A Farewell to Arms
The Snows of Kilimanjaro
The Grapes of Wrath
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness

ASIN: 0783229488
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Customer Reviews:

Very fine acting...but a flawed movie.......2007-07-03

Review of DVD: This is a nicely restored version of the film, with reasonalbly good color (a bit contrasty sometimes), with good sound. DVD extras are adequate, but sparce by modern movie standards.

All the principles did give fine performances. While Katina Paxinou gives a fine, Oscar winning performance, I believe Akim Tamiroff as the undependable and annoying Pablo is the finest in the cast. But Pilar is a much more likable character.

Discussion of the movie: Cooper and Bergman are fine, independent of each other. But the romantic attraction did not seem believable to me, especially how quickly Bergman's character was smitten by Cooper's. Cooper looked, well, middle aged, when younger men were available (a rivalry might have added something here). Fortunately, while young, she doesn't look 19 (oooh!). Remember, her character is falling for Robert Jordan, not Gary Cooper. There was absolutely no suspense in what was going to happen between these two. For me, the romance story simply got in the way of action, and the Pablo/Pilar conflict. What was Pablo going to do? Can he be trusted?

For Whom the Bell Tolls.......2007-06-22

A splendid adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel, this rousing, romantic adventure tells the tale of a love between a Spanish-born guerilla and an outsider who's joined the cause out of political solidarity. Featuring solid performances by Cooper and the ravishing Bergman--who gets off one of cinema's most famous kissing lines ("I always wondered where the noses went")--Wood's film is an absorbing treat. Katina Paxinou even picked up an Oscar for her fiery performance as de facto rebel leader Pilar. This "Bell' tolls for thee.

"Any Man's death diminishes me ".......2007-04-01

"Because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore send to know
for who the bell tolls.
It tolls for thee."

Spain 1937. Robert Jordan (Gary Cooper) came to Spain o fight for "The Republic" (a nice way to say for the commies) and against nationalists. He also had a dislike for Germans and Italians. His assignment was to go behind the nationalist lines and blow up a bridge at a strategic moment. There this stoic hero meets a peasant girl (a much too young for Gary, Ingrid Bergman) with a bad haircut and that barely escaped a train ride. They naturally fall in love which complicates things. Will this jeopardize the mission? Do we care?

Along with this we have the classic mixture of characters that you can not tell if they are the good guys or the bad guys. The two that stand out besides the hero and his girl are Katina Paxinou (sort of a female Antony Quinn) as the doyenne, and Akim Tamiroff as the once good guerilla who may be bad or just self-centered. Who they were and how the acted was quite a predicable formula.

The story is an adoption from the Ernest Hemingway novel. Of course they could not put everything in the story and too a few liberties. We also miss the dialog that people read Hemmingway for.

The initial credits are in some annoying script (Parchment) make it hard to read at a glance.

Excellent Hemingway historical fiction.......2007-01-13

This movie was very well done in all respects. The two main actors, Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, were chosen by Ernest Hemingway, whose novel was the basis of the movie, which followed closely to the book. It received several Academy Award nominations in 1943 and the Oscar was presented for Best Supporting Actress. The acting, direction, screenplay and setting contributed to excellent character development. The intrigue of the story kept your attention throughout the film.

for whom the bell tolls.......2006-11-10

A hollywood classic at it's best. Ingrid Bergman displays innocents, warmth and the sincerity of a woman coming to terms with the cruelity of war. Gary Cooper is the hero, brave true and uncompromising in the face of danger...Their love story is beautiful to the eye and raises the spirit of human courage to new heights...

'It' Plus Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl

Average customer rating:

Oh, wow, did Clara Bow ever have "IT" !!!
About the dvd
Great Silent Film Classic
Love It!
Excellent Silent Film

'It' Plus Clara Bow: Discovering the "It" Girl
Starring: Clara Bow , Antonio Moreno , William Austin , Priscilla Bonner , and Jacqueline Gadsden
Director: Josef von Sternberg , and Clarence G. Badger
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Show Off/The Plastic Age
Diary of a Lost Girl
Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild
Parisian Love / Down to the Sea in Ships
The Garden of Eden (Deluxe Edition)

ASIN: B000056N7W
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Amazon.com

It is famous for turning cutie-pie Clara Bow into, as critic David Thomson described her, "the first mass-market sex symbol." Somewhat overshadowed by this phenomenon is the fact that It is also a terrifically entertaining picture, an effortless cruise through the manners and morals of the flapper era. Bow plays a shopgirl who sets her saucer eyes on her boss (Antonio Moreno); it isn't terribly hard to land him, since she possesses dazzle, charm, spunk... in a word, "It." And if we're still not sure what "It" is, there's a moment of high camp hilarity when matronly author Elinor Glyn, who penned the original definition of "It," strides through the movie and delivers herself of its meaning. Actually, Bow's delightful performance does more to define "It" than anything else, and her unabashed sexiness (which didn't play well after sound came in) clearly sets the future course for Marilyn Monroe and Madonna. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Oh, wow, did Clara Bow ever have "IT" !!!.......2007-04-20

Clara Bow stars in this absolutely wonderful silent motion picture about a salesgirl in a department store who falls in love with the boss. Clara Bow plays Betty Lou Spence to perfection with her wide eyed beautiful stare and her overall charm and natural appeal. Antonio Moreno plays Cyrus Waltham, Jr., the boss, with his very convincing acting abilities even though in a silent movie he didn't have too many lines!

Betty wants to date Cyrus Waltham, Jr. badly--she even daydreams of asking Santa Claus to give him to her for Christmas! Although the other salesgirls laugh it off, Betty means business. They don't realize that Betty has plenty of "It." "It" generally refers to Betty's self-confidence coupled with her good looks and natural appeal. Betty displays a good ability to plan things out when she accepts a date with Cyrus' buddy Monty--on the condition that they dine at The Ritz because that's where Cyrus is having his own dinner that evening. In addition, the scene in The Ritz dining room gives us a wonderful cameo appearance by "Madame" Elinor Glynn, who tells Cyrus--and the audience--what "It" is. SMILES

Of course, Cyrus finally gets a good look at Betty and almost immediately he begins to lose interest in his current lady friend as he gains interest for Betty. They do go out and have a marvelous time together.

But a complication involving a baby with an absentee father arises. When Betty rushes to the aid of her friend so that the social workers don't take the baby from the apartment Betty shares with her roommate, the newspaper sends a reporter and races to print that Betty is the mother.

Well, IS Betty is the mother? Cyrus can't stand even the mere thought of this and cuts off Betty without even giving her a chance to explain. How can Betty work things out so that Cyrus regains his interest and love for her? Can Betty beat out Cyrus' current girlfriend to win Cyrus' heart? No spoilers here, folks; you'll have to watch the movie to find out!

I agree with the reviewer who writes that the quality of the film print is exceptionally good for its age. The clarity of each image is excellent. The sound of the musical accompaniment is good, too, even if the score was not the original.

The DVD has few extras besides the documentary with director Clarence Badger on the making of It. Unfortunately, I must take off a star because it did not work in my computer DVD-ROM drive! (Thank goodness this was a rental.)

Overall, fans of classic silent movies should watch this film. The DVD extra probably just malfunctioned on my rental DVD and I encourage you to buy this DVD anyway if this type of film appeals to you.

Clara Bow paved the way for other glamorous female screen legends including Lana Turner and Marilyn Monroe. The movie score remains quite strong even if it isn't the original score and the picture quality shines. And, by the way, Clara Bow as Betty Lou Spence shines, too! She had IT!

About the dvd.......2006-07-24

I think others have pointed out this but I'm gonna stress it.
There are 2 dvd editions of this movie.
The Kino one has great extras (a docu on Clara Bow's life) but a bad image transfer.
And the Image one has no extras but a much sharper and better looking image transfer.
So you choose.

Great Silent Film Classic.......2006-02-24

It's an interesting story regarding the reason that I bought this film. One day, out of the clear blue, my 90 year old grandmother mentioned this film. I wasn't familiar with the film, nor have I ever been a silent film aficionado. I did some research and learned that Clara Bow was quite the idol in her time. And, this film was one of her best.

After viewing "It", I was unexpectantly pleased. I was impressed with both the plot and acting of this old silent classic. The film kept me interested throughout. In this film, Clara Bow is truely "It". She's cute and flirty in 1920's style. I highly recommend this DVD to silent film lovers and modern movie lovers alike. If nothing else, the film provides a great history lesson for classic cinematography. Most of all, watching the film made my grandmother feel like a teenager again. Enjoy...

Love It!.......2006-01-08

I had this on my wish list for Christmas and got it! How fun! Of course I love the movie, but I was really surprised to how great that documentary was! I learned so much about Clara Bow and now I look forward to finding more of her movies. The documentary is like a movie itself!

Excellent Silent Film.......2005-10-25

With each viewing of another Silent Film that "arrives" to my collection, my hunger and yearning for more and more Silents, increases considerably.

The edition of "IT" I got is the IMAGE-MILESTONE one and I must say it's GREAT!!

The films tells the story of a salesgirl's infatuation with the son of the owner of a Department Store in which she works.

Clara Bow's is just short of magnificent in a role that really defines her screen personae; that of the mischievous, sexy, bold, magnetic, electrifying, ultramodern and yet sweet girl/flapper.

She was 21 or 22 years old when she made this film and she looks so fresh and contemporary than other Silent Stars of that Era; and if you compare her looks and ways, even her acting, to that of the other women in the cast (Priscilla Bonner, Jacqueline Gadsden, Julia Swayne Gordon), you'll see what I mean.

Antonio Moreno is good as her Love interest, although he looks much older than her (he was 41 when the film was made) but then, considering this was 1927, he does not look as old as 41 year-old men of that time used to. Also, Moreno works well with Bow and their love scenes together are believable.

William Austin is great as Moreno's sidekick, funny and ever-partying.

Elinor Glyn, the authoress of the book upon which the film was based, makes a cameo in a Restaurant scene, making a grand entrance.

A young Gary Cooper has a small role as a journalist.

The quality of the transfer is really very good. IMAGE did an excellent job and the score by Carl Davis is one of the best I've listened to.

A MUST!

Average customer rating:

Oh, wow, did Clara Bow ever have "IT" !!!
About the dvd
Great Silent Film Classic
Love It!
Excellent Silent Film

It
Starring: Clara Bow , Antonio Moreno , William Austin , Priscilla Bonner , and Jacqueline Gadsden
Director: Josef von Sternberg , and Clarence G. Badger
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Show Off/The Plastic Age
Diary of a Lost Girl
Clara Bow: Runnin' Wild
Parisian Love / Down to the Sea in Ships
The Garden of Eden (Deluxe Edition)

ASIN: B0000CG8IC
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Oh, wow, did Clara Bow ever have "IT" !!!.......2007-04-20

About the dvd.......2006-07-24

Great Silent Film Classic.......2006-02-24

Love It!.......2006-01-08

Excellent Silent Film.......2005-10-25

Average customer rating:

Valentino as a Russian masked avenger!
The Fun Side of Valentino
"I don't associate with masked men as a rule."
Great film, lackluster restoration
Could We Have The Old Version, Please?

The Eagle
Starring: Rudolph Valentino , Vilma Bánky , Louise Dresser , Albert Conti , and James A. Marcus
Director: Clarence Brown
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Sheik / The Son of the Sheik (Special Edition)
Blood & Sand
Rudolph Valentino: The Great Lover - A Documentary
Beyond the Rocks
The Married Virgin

ASIN: B00006674H
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Description

Set in the Imperial Court of 18th-century Russia, "The Eagle" is a dashing and romantic adventure in which Rudolph Valentino gives what many consider to be his finest screen performance. Here is a role tailor-made for the legendary Valentino--that of Vladimir, the handsome young Cossack guardsman who is banished after rejecting the amorous advances of Catherine the Great (stunningly portrayed by Louise Dresser) and becomes the "Black Eagle," a Russian Robin Hood dedicated to robbing the rich and giving to the down-trodden peasants.

Customer Reviews:

Valentino as a Russian masked avenger!.......2007-05-04

Silent screen legend Rudolph Valentino reached enormous heights of popularity in the 1920s before his untimely death not long after starring in "The Eagle", which is a terrible shame because judging by his performance in this film in particular, it is evident that Valentino was more than just a pretty face and had a lot of talent to offer. First cast in some dubious character roles (such as in "The Married Virgin") Valentino was soon established in the typical Hollywood heroic and irresistably charming leading man role for whom all women swooned. "The Eagle" is a good example of this role in which Valentino demonstrates not only his usual magnetism and appeal, but also humour and an overall fine feeling for details and subtle comedy. Very much in the style of Zorro and Robin Hood made popular a few years earlier by Douglas Fairbanks Sr, "The Eagle" is Russia's version of this masked avenger fighting for the poor against injustices, and all in glorious Hollywood style. Although the sets and costumes give the film a distinct Russian flavour, the story is definitely classic Hollywood entertainment all the way with tongue-in-cheek comedy, indispensable romance, standard action and adventure, and the triumph over bad in an unexpected happy ending. The story is quite interesting and entertaining from the very onset which shows how Valentino as a Cossack guard first gets into trouble by resisting the Czarina's romantic advances, resulting in her condemnation of him as a deserter, wanted dead or alive. At home, his dying father has been cheated by a wealthy landlord out of his entire estate, and as the peasants rally around him crying for justice, Valentino dons the Zorro-like mask and becomes known as `The Black Eagle' vowing to take revenge on the greedy landlord, but wouldn't you know it: Valentino's love interest turns out to be the daughter of the man he is after! This enjoyable and satisfying story is enhanced by good acting, especially by Valentino, and the picture quality is very good throughout. The musical accompaniment is a theatre organ and is well-suited to the scenes, although I can imagine that an orchestral score playing Russian-style music would further enhance this film. In any case, "The Eagle" is thoroughly entertaining in true Hollywood style and should satisfy even those who are not great Valentino fans.

The Fun Side of Valentino.......2007-04-17

Those who know little about Rudolph Valentino other than modern society's dark image of him, painted by gossip and the passage of time, like water passing over stones, eroding their original beauty, will be greatly surprised by Valentino's skill and humor as an actor in this terrific film, filled with romance and adventure. There is a real sense of fun here, as though Valentino is quite aware of his own image at the time and is giving a wry wink to it.

The set direction of William Cameron Menzies is beautifully photographed by George Barnes in Hans Kraly's fun screenplay of romance getting in the way of revenge. When that romance involves the lovely Vilma Banky, known mostly today for her films opposite Valentino, the quandry is a difficult one. She is shown to great advantage throughout the film, one particular scene where she kneels by her bedside table in a nightgown, searching for a way to sway the man she loves away from revenge, proof that her baby-faced charm rivaled any female star of the era.

Rudolph Valentino is Lt. Vladimir Dubrousky. When he rescues a runaway coach with Mascha Troekouroff (Vilma Banky) in it, the wheels are set in motion for a great adventure. It is the Czarina's (Louise Dresser) steed Vladimir appropriates during the valiant deed, but upon her meeting with the young soldier, her heart melts and she tries to use her power to procure his love. But Vladimir has only signed on to fight, not for this!

He returns to his home with a bounty on his head, only to find his father near death due to a scoundrel named Kyrilla. While the Czarina finds romance with one of her Captains, whom she promotes to General, Valentino swears vengence when his father dies, donning the mask and title, "The Black Eagle." If this sounds like fun, that's because it is!

Though it's all done seriously, Valentino's charm and charisma come through loud and clear, giving this film a sense of humor. Vladimir runs across the lovely Mascha once again, and grabs an opportunity to be near her and quench his thirst for vengence as well. Mascha's father, of course, is the evil Kyrilla. When Vladimir comes to their home in the guise of her French tutor, an incident in a wine cellar when he saves her life reveals to her his true identity. Rather than exposing him, she opts to change his mindset from vengence to love.

There is a fun and terrific ending to this one I won't spoil for the first time viewer. Director Clarence Brown, not widely regarded for his action films, allows the "Great Lover" to have some fun in what turned out to be one of Valentino's finest pictures. The picture quality of this silent, overseen by film historians Kevin Brownlow and David Gill, is excellent in this HBO presentation. For those who want to see the fun side of Rudolph Valentino, this isn't a bad one with which to start.

"I don't associate with masked men as a rule.".......2006-11-17

Dashing Russian Army Lieutenant, Vladimir Dubrovsky (Rudolf Valentino) draws attention from Catherine the Great (Louise Dresser) when he heroically captures one of her favourite horses. Catherine wants to reward him by making him a general, and while that title comes with certain privileges, it also comes with certain obligations. Catherine makes it clear that she has amorous intentions towards her new general, and while she goes to her boudoir to slip into something more comfortable, Dubrovsky escapes to the provinces.

Dubrovksy intends to return to his family estate, but in his absence, it's been seized by Kyrilla (James Marcus). Meanwhile, Catherine, enraged by the rejection of her latest love-toy, issues a warrant for his arrest and execution.

Dubrovsky dons a mask, and calling himself the Black Eagle, he and a band of loyal followers begin robbing and generally harassing Kyrilla at every opportunity. But then Dubrovsky meets the lovely Mascha (Vilma Banky)--Kyrilla's only child....

"The Eagle", directed by Clarence Brown is great entertainment for Valentino fans. The scenes between Dubrovsky and Catherine are wonderful, and while she eyeballs him head to foot, she doesn't hide her admiration or her insatiable nature. Dubrovsky is depicted as coy and chaste--powerful qualities that no doubt drove his hordes of female fans to distraction, and this simple but entertaining romance works well as a vehicle for Valentino's role as yet another impossibly dashing romantic hero.

This silent film from 1925 is a decent print marred by a few, thin, black vertical lines. The DVD has no extras, and if you've never seen Valentino I also recommend the two-for-one "Sheik/Son of the Sheik." These two films show Valentino several years apart and he measurably hones his acting skills for the later film. "The Eagle" is great fun for Valentino fans, but it's not his best--displacedhuman

Great film, lackluster restoration.......2005-01-24

The movie is worth 5 stars and more; it's only the quality of the DVD transfer that is meriting a 4-star review. This DVD is my only experience with this movie, since I never had a laser disc player, but hearing about how beautiful the laser disc version this very same company used to offer was, it's shameful that they put out the lackluster rendition in lieu of their far superior print. On the one hand, we're lucky to have this on DVD when only about half of Rudy's major movies are currently available on that format (the rest are on videos that aren't sold in most major retail chains, and those videos too deserve restoration work and DVD treatment), and that most of his major movies, and even a fair amount of the movies he made before becoming famous, are still with us when so many other silent movies are lost, but considering all of that, more care should have been demanded. It's one thing to say it's expected in a film of this age, but obviously there was a much better print available previously, a print which didn't have dust, specks, and lines speckled over it. However, in spite of that, it's in very good condition; from having read about the condition of the print, I was expecting much worse. This isn't a film like his earlier movie 'Moran of the Lady Letty'; a solid underrated movie which is practically unwatchable in many spots because oftentimes faces and objects are little more than blurs. This movie has none of that; you can see everything and everyone clearly, and since it's such a good story, the background disturbances can be overlooked. The background music of the organ is also a problem in this transfer; it's not as bad as the background music in 'Moran,' but still just doesn't seem to fit with the mood of the movie. I would have expected authentic Russian pieces to be played in the background, giving the movie an even more Russian feel (I'm also a longtime Russophile in addition to liking classic cinema).

In spite of the lacking transfer job, the story is still wonderful, combining drama (my favourite genre) with a lot of comic moments, like when Vladimir, while posing as Marcel, is so distracted by the presence of Masha at the supper table that he puts way too much pepper in his soup, or when the ring on his finger gets stuck and he has to pull on it for awhile before he can give it to Masha. If there were another DVD edition put out, this time with proper music and the old laser disc print, it would be even better and more highly-recommended.

Could We Have The Old Version, Please?.......2002-12-26

If you don't have a copy of Valentino's most engaging silent, "The Eagle", in your collection, you should certainly have this, but you should know that it is far - very far - from the best version that has been available. This edition is sourced from the Killiam Collection, and is evidently from a 16mm reduction print that saw long use and little care. Contrast and detail are poor, to say the least. There is a sad, tired musical accompaniment that is best turned off, frankly.

What's awful about all this is that this same company, Image Entertainment, once offered a far superior version. Its 1989 laserdisc edition was based on a clean 35mm print from the Rohauer Collection that had excellent contrast and detail. The score was a magnificently well-suited one by Carl Davis; it went so well with the film that once you've had a viewing with Davis's compositions, seeing "The Eagle" with any other score is unthinkable.

"The Eagle" is indispensable to a collection of silents, but this edition is not a patch on what Image itself has offered in the past. It is to be hoped that the company can clear whatever obstacles are keeping it from offering a DVD release of what was one of the best silent-film offerings on laserdisc.

Description

4 movies on 2 DVD's

Customer Reviews:

Gary Cooper Classics.......2006-07-10

The movies are their title, classics. The product was as good as I expected. They are old. The sound was a good quality. I recommend them to anyone who wants to expand their collection of quality movies.

Great bargain for Gary Cooper's fans!.......2004-10-06

I'm a big fan of Gary Cooper & overall I thought these movies were very enjoyable. The first movie is "Fighting Caravans" (1931) & features a very young Gary Cooper as a wild frontiersman who talks a young French woman (played by Lili Damita) into posing as his wife in order to avoid a jail term. They join a large wagon train & head west & along the way they fall in love & consider marrying although Cooper isn't ready to "settle down". There's a big Indian attack on the wagon train towards the end (Gee, what a surprise!) that makes it well worth watching. Next, we have the original 1932 classic "A Farewell to Arms", which might be the best film version of Hemingway's novel, although parts of it are slow. Cooper was probably eager to star in that film because of his real-life friendship with Earnest Hemingway. Next, we have an often overlooked piece of "Capricorn", 1941's "Meet John Doe" stars Cooper as a suicidal bum who finally discovers that life is worth living. Even though it was directed by Frank Capra & also stars Barbara Stanwyck, this is not one of Capra's finer moments. The main problem is that it's over 2 hours & the plot is sluggish. In my opinion the real gem on this dvd is the 1931 short film "Stolen Jewels", which has tons of cameos from famous stars like Joan Crawford, Laurel & Hardy, Edward G. Robinson, Buster Keaton, Irene Dunne, Norma Shearer, & of course Gary Cooper. If you're a big Gary Cooper fan & are searching for a real bargain, then look no further!

Gary Cooper Double Feature: A Farewell to Arms/Meet John Doe

Average customer rating:

Gary Cooper Double Feature: A Farewell to Arms/Meet John Doe
Starring: Farewell to Arms , and Meet John Doe
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Sergeant York (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The Pride of the Yankees (Anniversary Edition)
The Gary Cooper Collection (Design for Living / The Lives of a Bengal Lancer / Peter Ibbetson / The General Died at Dawn / Beau Geste)
High Noon (Collector's Edition)
Gary Cooper - The Signature Collection (Sergeant York / The Fountainhead / Dallas / Springfield Rifle / The Wreck of the Mary Deare)

ASIN: B0002VL024
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Description

A Farewell to Arms (1932) is based on Ernest Hemingway's masterpiece and was adapted beautifully to the screen. It features Cooper in one of his first major roles as the young ambulance driver serving amid the chaos of the First World War. Helen Hayes is lovely as Catherine, a British nurse with whom Frederic (Cooper) falls in love while serving on the brutal Italian front. Hemingway's indictment of war and tale of bittersweet romance emerges as a powerful and moving film that remains not only a literary classic but a true film classic as well. The second feature, Meet John Doe, is director Frank Capra's classic ode to the common man. This social commentary/comedy/drama stars Cooper as one of the millions of unemployed workers, only he's been hand-picked to represent the `typical American', John Doe, by a newspaper publisher. Cooper is soon built into the symbol of the average man by the high-pressure campaign of the news tycoon with the help of an attractive reporter (Stanwyck). But Cooper finds that he's being used to further the publisher's power-seeking political ambitions and rebels. What happens then makes for one of the truly engrossing conclusions to any of Capra's masterpieces. Bonus Features: Scene Selection| Trailers Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital Mono; 202 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1932, 1941; SRP - $4.99.

Average customer rating:

A Starting Point for Native Americans in Cinema
A great film with important themes
Vanishing American
Zane Grey's western novel turned into a silent film epic

The Vanishing American
Starring: Richard Dix , Lois Wilson , Noah Beery , Malcolm McGregor , and Nocki
Director: George B. Seitz
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Cowboys & Indians | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Epic | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Wagon Tracks
Tumbleweeds
Beyond the Rocks
The Clinging Vine/The Age of Ballyhoo
The Toll Gate/His Bitter Pill

ASIN: B00004Y7HI
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Description

In an untamed land, an unbroken spirit. Based on the famous novel by Zane Grey, "The Vanishing American" is an epic scale historical melodrama about the mistreatment of the Native Americans and their ability to survive in spite of the governmental, environmental and inter-tribal hardships. Filmed on location in Monument Valley and the Betatakin Cliff Dwellings of Arizona, this colossal Paramount production offers a sweeping history of the American Indian--from the prehistoric "basket maker" to the 20th-Century Navajo.

Customer Reviews:

A Starting Point for Native Americans in Cinema.......2006-12-01

It's pretty impressive when a silent, black and white movie made back in 1926 can still be interesting to watch in modern times. If you're open to movies with subtitles, I definitely recommend giving this a try.

Zane Grey wrote the initial story, and the movie begins far back "in the beginning". Not all of the story is very flattering. These cliff dwellers of pre-history were apparently quite lazy. "Mog could sleep on any excuse or none". Rival Indians come flooding in, much like the storming of the walls in The Two Towers. The local medicine man curses the invaders, saying that they will eventually be driven just as they are driving the innocents here.

Hop forward to 1540, when the Spanish appear on the scene with horses. Interestingly, as much as many people feel the Indians always had horses, they were only brought to the New World with the invaders. The Indians, awed by their gunpowder and riding ability, treat them as Gods.

Another fast forward, this time to 1864. Kit Carson, a friend of the Indians, is forced to subdue them to win a peace. He promises that they'll have a peaceful, content life, farming in lush meadows. Unfortunately he dies soon afterwards, and the red man is tossed onto barren reservations. The Indian Agent who should be representing them is incompetent, and his helper is downright nasty. They deliberately steal the horses of the village, even while the kids are being educated in white men's ways and playing baseball. I have to comment as a parent that it was intriguing to see the kids playing on a super-high playgym where the "slide" was just a pair of rods you slid down, hooking your legs over each. The definition of "safe" was much different back then! It's also intriguing that all of the children do a flag salute identical to the Hitler salute, which is a bit spooky.

There's prejudice aplenty here, with the villagers looking down on the school marm for fraternizing with the enemy. It causes trouble for him - but in short order The Great War begins. Her guy friend decides to do the right thing and defend his country, even though his country has never done much for him. He goes over and fights valiantly. Unfortunately, when he returns, he finds if anything that things have gotten even worse for his people.

Some parts of this are rather disturbing in a "looking down on the natives" way. The whole introductory sequence, for example. On the other hand, this is 1926. There were still incredibly nasty laws against blacks in the south, and we hadn't even begun the heavy western era of "cowboys vs indians" movies. It's impressive that this was as pro-indian as it was, being made back in those days.

Well recommended to see where things all began.

A great film with important themes.......2005-03-31

Even though I'm an Australian and haven't read Zane Grey's famous novel on which this film is based, I still got a lot of important points out of watching "The Vanishing American", as well as simply enjoying it for many other reasons. The opening scenes are already very impressive, with sweeping views of Monument Valley, and there is something of a history lesson to begin with, no doubt making the point that the land belongs to the native Indians. Then, in our recent history, European settlers came along and confined the Indians to a reservation. This is where good drama begins as one Indian stands out from among the rest, wanting to do the right thing, while the `baddie' of the story, a government agent meant to be helping the Indians, starts his own evil schemes. Noah Beery does a great job of portraying the slimy character of Booker, the crooked agent who plots to take over and cash in on the Indians' helpless situation. The focus, however, is on the Indian chieftain, played very convincingly by Richard Dix, who takes a stand against injustice, but later he becomes despondent when it looks like White Man always gets his way in the end. He contemplates returning to his ancestors' gods, and is torn between his heritage and what he learned about the Bible and Christianity. I found this to be one of the important points of this film, namely the personal conflict many indigenous people face when forced to accept the ways and religion of the new settlers (not just American Indians but also Australian Aborigines, Pacific Islanders, etc) and when there is corruption or other unfairness on the part of the superior race, a rebellion or conflict becomes inevitable. "The Vanishing American" shows these problems very well in a suspenseful, involving drama which also includes romance and other poignant moments that are worth thinking about a while. The picture quality is very good, but I thought that an orchestral musical score, rather than a live recording of a traditional organ score might enhance and underscore some important scenes even more. Overall, never a dull moment and a good quality drama from a cinematic standpoint, but also a story with valuable lessons - not just historic but still reaching into our times as well.

Vanishing American.......2004-10-22

For anyone under the impression that Hollywood's sympathetic treatment of the American Indian occurred no earlier that BROKEN ARROW, and certainly no later than DANCES WITH WOLVES, and that John Ford discovered and was the first to paint cinematic masterpieces against the magnificent backdrop that is Monument Valley, THE VANISHING AMERICAN will come as a shock and revelation. Not only was Hollywood doing it before the movies talked, in many ways they were doing it much better.
Richard Dix stars as Nophaie, leader of a Navajo Indian tribe living on a Mesa, Arizona reservation and participant in a love-triangle of sorts between saintly teacher Lois Wilson and corrupt Indian agent Noah Beery.
It's a while before THE VANISHING AMERICAN introduces its main players and arrives to tell its modern day story, though. Whole populations of peoples arise, flourish and die off against the imposing mesas and bluffs and desert stretches of Monument Valley, a Monument Valley presented without quite the muscular suppleness technology allowed Ford in the coming decades. The first reel takes us from cliff dwellers to basket weavers to the mid-16th century arrival of Spanish explorers. The root causes of a group's destruction is clearly presented. Priests are mocked and ridiculed, the martial spirit is stunted or non-existent, people become fat and lazy. These pre-Columbian slackers are ripe for the plucking, and plucked they are. But even a martial race, Nophaie's ancestors, are helpless against the technologically superior Europeans, who first appear riding "monsters" and carrying "thunder sticks." This slightly dubious cultural Darwinism, which puts the pious warrior at the top of the food chain, undergirds the movie, so it's no surprise that Nophaie is constantly presented as the greatest warrior in his tribe.
What makes THE VANISHING AMERICAN remarkable is its critique of then present-day Indian relationships. The Mesa Navajos have been herded onto a barely fertile strip of land. The Indian agent steals their horses and their land. Treaties have been made and broken. A number of Native American men volunteer for service in World War One and come back with honors only to discover that Indian agent Beery has discovered another method of bilking his charges. Still cheated.
What I liked most about THE VANISHING AMERICAN was that it took a sensitive look at issues critics of Westerns rightly accuse the genre of ignoring: betrayal, broken promises, corruption, even miscegenation anxieties. Another strength of the movie is that it addresses what was then current conditions. The final act in this 1925 pits WWI Navajo vets against a corrupt Indian agency. There appears to be a number of Native American extras in this one, as well.
The print is in good shape, all things considered. There are no extras save chapter selections, but a new score (considering the applause heard at the end, I assume it was recorded live) makes this a worthy addition to any Western fan's collection.

Zane Grey's western novel turned into a silent film epic.......2003-11-28

"The Vanishing American" is one of the great silent epics. Directed by George B. Seitz from a Zane Gray story, this 1925 silent film stars Richard Dix as Nophaie, a modern American Indian who heroically fights the Germans on the battlefields of Europe in World War I only to return home and find his people are still being horribly mistreated by a crooked Indian Agent named Booker, played by Norah Berry. One of the first films filmed on location in Monument Valley, this 148-minute epic also stars Lois Wilson as Marion Warner, the local schoolmarm who encourages Nophaie to make something of himself, and if you can spot Gary Cooper as an extra in this one you have better eyes than I do (but that is not saying anything).

Customer Reviews:

Gary Cooper Hollywood Clasics #55189.......2005-08-22

This set has Fighting Caravans, A Farewell to Arms, Meet John Doe and Stolen Jools. Fighting Caravans is a wagon train epic which is fun to watch. A Farewell to Arms is one of THE original Academy Awards nominees, back when these awards were new. Meet John Doe is a Frank Capra classic and should be in everyone's library. Stolen Jools is just a short with alot of then famous actor cameos (even if they are no longer famous now).

And hey, for the price, you can't beet this one.

DVD:

DVD

Smashing Pumpkins - Vieuphoria