Saint John

Starring:Catherine Figuccio Howard Taylor
Director: Paul Jacobs
Studio: YAWEH Productions
Product Type: DVD

Duck, You Sucker (aka A Fistful of Dynamite) (2-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Leone's Meditation on Violence
A Masterpiece Few have seen
What a ride!
My Favorite Leone Film.
Just some additional words....

Duck, You Sucker (aka A Fistful of Dynamite) (2-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: James Coburn , Rod Steiger , Maria Monti , Rik Battaglia , and Franco Graziosi
Director: Sergio Leone
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

For a Few Dollars More (2-Disc Collector's Edition)
A Fistful of Dollars (2-Disc Collector's Edition)
Prince of the City (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Straight Time
If... (Criterion Collection)

ASIN: B000OPOANO
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Amazon.com

A different sort of Sergio Leone Western, this one takes place during the Mexican Revolution, with more politics than usual. But there's still plenty of action, with Rod Steiger as a cigar-chomping peasant who robs banks to liberate political prisoners, and James Coburn as an Irish terrorist trying to flee from his bitter past. They team up to thwart a sadistic officer and help the cause; redemption for the more subdued Coburn provides added depth. This contains the longer uncut version (released in Italy) known as Duck, You Sucker, featuring more flashbacks, more politics, and a more unsavory Steiger. But it's terrific fun, with Ennio Morricone's moody score and Coburn's most underrated performance. --Bill Desowitz

Customer Reviews:

Leone's Meditation on Violence.......2007-07-04

Those thinking that "Duck, You Sucker" is in the mold of the "Dollars" trilogy and "Once Upon A Time in the West" are in for a rude awakening. The film's setting is not what you would call the traditional West rather revolutionary Mexico in the early part of the 20th century. Like other Leone epics it is deliberately paced but no less effective. Leone isn't so much concerned with taking sides rather the toll revolution takes on a man's soul. The violence and the betrayals of war are an inherent byproduct and they wear on a man's visage. Leone offers two characters as our guides through the chaos: Juan(Rod Steiger), a peasant revolutionary so disgusted by war that his motives now are mostly mercenary and Sean(James Coburn), an escaped IRA munitions expert who hires out his services to the insurgents. Steiger is certainly fine but it's Coburn who steals the show as a man debating within himself why he does what he does. For sure Leone stages alot of thrilling action sequences but it's in the film's quieter moments that offer food for thought. I've seen this film in truncated TV version's under the title of "A Fistful of Dynamite". These versions are generally incoherent and are mainly concerned with the film's pyrotechnics. Avoid these versions if at all possible.

A Masterpiece Few have seen.......2007-06-23

This film disappointed many Leone fans when it came out, because it is not a shoot 'em up like his earlier films. It has plenty of action but is much more cerebral and a character study of two men who are changed by their association with the other. Both try to use the other for their own gain, but in the end, become much wiser and better friends, despite the fact that they start off as enemies.

It has some very valid things to say about leftism and revolutionaries that are as timely today as in 1972.

Yes, Steiger's accent is horrible. He sounds like he is trying to imitate Pacino in Scarface, which came out 10 years later. Coburn's accent is laid on pretty thick. But, once you get past that, and you can, it really is an astounding piece of film making. Something you don't see anymore. While big budget films of today are long on spectacle, they have very little to say that isn't obvious or lame. This film is both intelligent and awe inspiring in some of its sequences.

Further, it's full of subtly and nuance. Something you'd never see in an American film of this scale. Highly recommended. I can watch this film every year without bordom.

What a ride!.......2007-06-22

Finally out on DVD! And with a few new twists from the VHS version, especially the ending -- the final flashback sequence. Of course I got its meaning. Much later after the screening, that is. Will you? A no brainer film like this making me work the final flashback sequence out into the whole of James Coburn's character so that he made some kind of sense in the story. My compliments to Mr. Leone! Incredible acting from James Coburn and Rod Stieger. Yes, Stierger's accent is bad but who cares! The feeling he gives to his character is incredible! Great cinema, many memorable lines, and an enduring film score; one of Morricone's finest. Don't expect anything from this film. It is better that way. Give it room to breath and allow it to take you where it wants to go, and soon you will experience a feeling that you are definately on a ride. And at the film's conclusion you'll have felt as if you had actually been somewhere. If you are a Leone fan this film is not to be missed.
--I can imagine father...
--The people who read the books go to the people who don't read the books and say we want a revolution...
--He acts like a tourist only he's staying...
--I don't want to be a hero of the revolution...
--What about me...

My Favorite Leone Film........2007-06-19

I am a big fan of Sergio Leone. There are no other movies quite like his. His use of wide vistas and extreme close-ups is well known along with a penchant for large scale action set pieces and sudden bursts of violence. As a silent film fan though I admire his lack of dialogue, deliberate pace, and use of music/sound effects to underscore the action and propel the story along. Nowhere is that more in evidence than in GIU LA TESTA (lower your head or keep your head down) known as DUCK, YOU SUCKER which is the middle film in his final trilogy of ONCE UPON A TIME cinematic fairy tales (Leone originally wanted to call this film ONCE UPON A TIME...THE REVOLUTION).
Released in 1972 in a variety of running times and under various titles (A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE in the U.K. and the U.S.), it disappeared quickly and has been unseen in it's original form until the release of this DVD. At 157 minutes it's 37 minutes longer than previous prints and the footage that was cut is of great significance as it provides the heart and soul of the picture and deepens the relationship between the Rod Steiger and James Coburn characters. It also restores the overtly political message of the film about war in general and revolution in particular.
The accents employed by Steiger and Coburn are frequently criticised but that misses the point as they're not meant to be realistic. Everything in Leone is exaggerated deliberately to create the effect he wants. The long pauses, the flashbacks, the larger than life performances are all there to magnify the intensity of the character's emotions and to inspire their reactions to what goes on around them. When Leone's films are cut or rearranged (as his last four films were) it actually makes them seem longer because the grand design has been tampered with and it throws them out-of-sync. While Leone loved the look of American movies he hated their pacing which is the opposite of a storyteller's and that's what he was. His three last films were the prime examples of his skills in that department.
The new widescreen print of DUCK, YOU SUCKER is gorgeous and the sound has been remixed but it's the missing footage that really turns this film from just a spectacular action picture into something far more substantial that will stay with you long after it's over as all of Leone's best movies tend to do. Repeated viewings will only deepen the experience as you just can't get it all in one sitting. For it's offbeat sense of humor, Ennio Morricone's surreal score, the most spectacular train wreck ever filmed, and the surprising depth of Steiger's and Coburn's performances, DUCK, YOU SUCKER, while not his best (that's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST), remains my favorite Sergio Leone film

Just some additional words...........2007-06-18

As finally this grande filme from mestre Serginho has finally arrived to USA in DVD format, most has been said from the various Amazon reviews, and the intrevistas within the DVD itself!
Just to add my own "dos centavos" , two items I note that I feel of additional interest to add

1) Rod Steiger, not the 1st choice for the character , the bandito Juan, and his acting really adds to the film. His "spanish accent" the absolute WORSE, only Al Pacino as Scarface inlater years was as much a "supremo absurdo"! haha! This "accent" adds flavour and more humor to "Juan", and I think a "lucky accident" Eli Wallach (Tuco , from the "good, bad, an ugly") did not get the role. (even as Eli is one of my favourite USA actors, and his portrayal of Tuco "legend" in film histories..)

2) the soundtrack of "Giú la Testa" (the original title I know this film by..),one of the greatest soundtracks of mestre Morricone, and for soundtracks in general. I higly recommend to find and purchase, a wonderful companion to the film.

1000000000 stars for signore Leone, as always, his epic films perfect, "warts and all", as they say...

Average customer rating:

Early Brando reveals full-blown genius
Redemption and rage.
Life on the Docks
Pretty dated now, but still fine performances...
A Great Film...

On the Waterfront (Special Edition)
Starring: Martin Balsam , Don Blackman , Rudy Bond , Marlon Brando , and Lee J. Cobb
Director: Elia Kazan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Crime & Criminals | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Murder & Mayhem | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Citizen Kane
A Streetcar Named Desire (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Casablanca
Sunset Boulevard (Special Collector's Edition)
Chinatown

ASIN: B00003CXBU
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Amazon.com essential video

Marlon Brando's famous "I coulda been a contenda" speech is such a warhorse by now that a lot of people probably feel they've seen this picture already, even if they haven't. And many of those who have seen it may have forgotten how flat-out thrilling it is. For all its great dramatic and cinematic qualities, and its fiery social criticism, Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront is also one of the most gripping melodramas of political corruption and individual heroism ever made in the United States, a five-star gut-grabber. Shot on location around the docks of Hoboken, New Jersey, in the mid-1950s, it tells the fact-based story of a longshoreman (Brando's Terry Malloy) who is blackballed and savagely beaten for informing against the mobsters who have taken over his union and sold it out to the bosses. (Karl Malden has a more conventional stalwart-hero role, as an idealistic priest who nurtures Terry's pangs of conscience.) Lee J. Cobb, who created the role of Willy Loman in Death of Salesman under Kazan's direction on Broadway, makes a formidable foe as a greedy union leader. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

Early Brando reveals full-blown genius.......2007-06-27

Superb performances by Marlon Brando and Karl Malden and Eva Marie Saint in this raw, gritty classic of union corruption on the NYC waterfront, offers a study of Brando's profound ability to become the tormented "Terry" with every subtle change of expression a reflection of the inner man. The film is as fresh and gripping today as it was 50 years ago and bears watching again and again for anyone who claims to be a student of acting, cinemantography or just plain great films that don't need to rely on special effects for their impact. - A. Madsen, Baltimore

Redemption and rage........2007-05-27

On the Waterfront (Elia Kazan, 1954)

"I coulda been a contender!" That's the line everyone knows from On the Waterfront. It's funny, because to me, Marlon Brando's truly great scene in this movie comes about five minutes later, amid the fallout of the contender conversation. He's desperately trying to keep from breaking down, barking orders to his girlfriend while getting ready to start a one-man war against the city's crime bosses. It's great stuff. And here I was, having seen the contender excerpt at least a thousand times, thinking it was a movie about a washed-up boxer. Well, it is, but that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Terry Malloy (Brando) is a longshoreman, an ex-boxer who's been taken under the wing of union leader Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). As the movie opens, Terry is seen having a brief conversation with his acquaintance Jimmy, who is soon pushed to his death from the roof of a tenement building. Terry, disturbed by this, goes back to the bar out of which the union operates, protesting that he just thought "they were gonna lean on him a little." This begins Terry's long and painful journey from a longshoreman who follows the "deaf and dumb" code of the union to a man proud enough to stand up for himself and his fellow workers against the corruption at the higher levels of the union.

Man, this must have been a tough film to get through McCarthy's goons...

Amusing political peccadilloes aside, On the Waterfront really is a great movie. Kazan was at the height of his directorial power, and Brando was never better as an actor. Karl Malden, as a meddling priest willing to stand up for the little guy, does a fantastic job as well, and most of the rest of the cast range from good to great. (There are a few minor characters who seem to be there just for amusement's sake, but they don't get enough face time to really do much damage to the quality of the overall film.) If you haven't seen it, well, it's not just a movie about a washed-up boxer, that I can tell you. ****

Life on the Docks.......2007-05-13

This was the first AFI movie we saw en masse as a family and we loved it! Many generations of eyeballs were glued to the black and white images on the screen, following Brando as he went from a lowly mob thug to someone who stood up for what was right. The acting is phenomenal, and the environment is very down-to-earth and gritty. You really do feel that these people struggle to survive on the docks, to do what is right in a world full of greed and backstabbing.

While famous for Marlon Brando's famous line of "I coulda been a contender!" there are actually many lines of dialogue in here that stand out. The cinematography, the scenery, the faces of the men and women as they go about their lives, it really draws you in to the tough life they led. This definitely deserves to be in the top 10 of all films and is a great film to watch with friends and discuss afterwards.

As an aside, we were all intrigued by the metal tokens that the dock workers held in their hands as they waited on the docks, and it was amazing that in a room of 10 people of all ages, we didn't have any "real" knowledge of what was going on. We could of course make some educated guesses! But here is what I found.

As far back as the 1800s, dock workers were given metal tokens saying they were "signed up properly" to be able to work on the dock. This was to keep riff-raff and untrustworthy thieves off the docks, as well as making some money for the local guild or union. The workers would sign up beforehand and be given these metal circles, that were stamped with the local sign and in essence said "this man is a valid worker to choose".

Then each day as the ships came in, a certain number of gangs would be needed to haul the boxes. This could be only 10 men on a quiet day, or 200 men on a busy day. So each morning, all of the men who wanted to work would show up on the docks. The bosses would call out or list on a board what the day's requirements were. Then they would look out over the group and choose whoever seemed best suited. Each man would have to show his metal token as he went in to work, to prove he was in fact currently paid up and eligible.

In On the Waterfront, certain men were also giving coded winks and nods. These would be those men closest with the mob - the ones who had friends and who should be chosen first.

Pretty dated now, but still fine performances..........2007-03-31

Brando and Steiger and Malden and Cobb and Eva Marie Saint. Directed by Elia Kazan, who was on the right-wing side of the blacklist. A tale of corrupt unions and mobsters when American goods were imported and exported by ships which made New York a regular port of call. The story just wouldn't work the same if set in Houston or New Orleans or Los Angeles. You can tell this is 50 years old, but there are still acting lessons by the cargo-hold-ful visible on the screen. Everyone who claims to like movies needs to see it at least once.

A Great Film..........2007-03-15

Everyone knows about "On the Waterfront" and many people who have never seen a frame of the film can quote some of its dialogue. It's on many people's top 10 list of the best movies of all time, it's in the top 10 of the American Film Institute's Top 100 (#8). It's a legendary film, featuring one of the best screen performances of all time by Marlon Brando. The film is directed by Elia Kazan (reunited with his "A Streetcar Named Desire" stars Brando and Karl Malden) and is, apparently, as much his story as it is a work of fiction. Brando plays Terry Malloy, an ex-prizefighter that works on the mob run waterfront. After playing a small role in the death of a local kid whom ratted on Terry's boss Johnny Friendly, Terry begins dating the dead boy's sister Edie (Eva Marie Saint). When another man dies for ratting, Terry's conscience kicks in and he begins to consider ratting himself. Problem is, Terry's brother Charley (Rod Steiger) is one of Johnny's right-hand men. When Charley is killed, Terry decides to step up and avenge his brother's death...But he may get himself killed in the process. This all leads to a brilliant climax, where else, on the waterfront. Ask anyone about "On the Waterfront" and they'll associate it with "I coulda been a contender." For years, I was under the impression this was a boxing movie because of that line. Since I don't like boxing movies, I just never bothered to watch this film. Seeing it now, I realize what I've missed out on for so long. This is a brilliant piece of filmmaking, no matter what the motives for making it were. Oddly enough, the 'contender' line isn't even in the best line in the movie (my nomination would be "Conscience. That stuff can drive you nuts."). While watching the film I began to wonder...Would this film have been as good without Brando? For a man who gave so many incredible performances over the years, it's hard to say which one is the best. But you really got to take a look at "On the Waterfront" and the way Brando recites many of the lines. Would the line "I coulda been a contender" have as much poignancy and be as familiar to Americans had it not been Brando who recited it? What if Frank Sinatra had been cast in the role, as he was originally planned to be? "On the Waterfront" has a great script and great direction, it would've made a damn fine movie without Brando but I highly doubt anyone besides the biggest cinephiles would remember it today. "On the Waterfront" is a rare "great" film, in the sense that it's more likely to be enjoyed by the masses than another great film like "Pandora's Box." This is a movie you can show to the average teenage kid and they'll enjoy it. "On the Waterfront" is, in two words, a masterpiece.

GRADE: A

Average customer rating:

Grand Prix 1966 ( Two - Disc Special Edition )
Fascinating in car footage, otherwise it's 1960s kitsch.
Spectacular footage
It will never be surpassed. The best race movie ever.
The best auto racing movie ever.

Grand Prix (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: James Garner , Eva Marie Saint , Yves Montand , Toshirô Mifune , and Brian Bedford
Director: John Frankenheimer
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Sports | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Auto Sports | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Le Mans
Winning
The Making of "Grand Prix"
Bullitt
The World's Fastest Indian

ASIN: B000FFJYCU
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Amazon.com essential video

Light on story, this 1966 spectacle directed by John Frankenheimer was shot in 70 millimeter, with a cinematically enthralling emphasis on unique, visceral new ways of capturing the sensations of a car race. James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, and Toshiro Mifune are part of the stellar, international cast whose characters plod through assorted relationship and business conflicts. But the film's real hook is the thrilling and inventive means by which Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) brings an urgency to the drama happening on the racetrack. A true master of the plastic techniques of obtaining and cutting kinetic footage, Frankenheimer offers more than a joyride to viewers: he makes action part of the compelling language of stories. Cameras are strapped to vehicles as they round the track, shots are taken from a helicopter, the screen is split between angles for maximum impact--even if Grand Prix doesn't rank among the director's best character-driven stories, it is certainly driven on its own terms. --Tom Keogh

On the DVD
The much-anticipated release on DVD does not disappoint, with a pristine restored print and upgraded 5.1 Dolby sound. Of course, the Cinerama film can only be fully appreciated if you sit very close to your screen. The absence of a commentary track is forgivable, since director John Frankenheimer died in 2002. "Pushing the Limit" is your standard 30-minute retrospective with many new interviews with the stars and drivers. The universal opinion is that the film caught Formula One at the exact right time when the beauty of the sport was about to be changed in favor of safety and commercialism. There are some fascinating stories on how they were able to use real race footage so seamlessly. "Flat Out" continues the vibe of what racing was like in the '60s with more interviews from the real racers. "The Style and Sound of Speed" talks about designer Saul Bass and how he created the film's different approaches to each race and the cutting-edge use of montages and multiple screens. The vintage doc is kitschy but allows us to see the filming in action (the footage is used extensively in the new featurettes). --Doug Thomas

Description

Nine races. One champion. James Garner, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford and Antonio Sabato portray Formula I drivers competing to be the best in this slam-you-into-the-driver's seat tale of speed, spectacle and intertwined personal lives. Eva Marie Saint and Toshiro Mifune also star. John Frankenheimer (who 32 years later would again stomp the pedal to the metal for the car chases of Ronin) directs this winner of 3 Academy Awards?,* crafting split-screen images to capture the overlapping drama and orchestrating you-are-there POV camerawork to intensify the hard-driving thrills. Nearly 30 top drivers take part in the excitement, so buckle up, movie fans. Race with the best to the head of the pack.

DVD Features:
Theatrical Trailer
Documentaries
Featurette

Customer Reviews:

Grand Prix 1966 ( Two - Disc Special Edition ).......2007-07-05

All the glamour and greatness of the World's most exciting drama of speed and spectacle .Nine races . One Champion . James Garner (1928 - ) . Yves Montand (1921-1991) . Brian Bedford (1935 - ) and Antonio Sabáto (1943 - ) Portray Formula I drivers competing to the best in this slam-you-into-the-driver's-seat tale of speed spetacle and intertwined personal lives . Eva Marie Saint (1924 - ) and Toshiro Mifune (1920 - 1997) also Stars . John Frankheimer (1930-2002) (who 32 years later again stomp the pedal to the metal for the car chases of * Ronin *) Directs this winner of 3 Academy Awards . Crafting split-screen images to capture the overlapping drama and orchestring you-are there POV camerawork to intensify the hard-driving thrills . Nearly 30 top drivers take part in the exitiment , so buckle up , movie fans . Race with the best to the head of the pack . Many Special Features . High Quality Transfer . Recommended .

Fascinating in car footage, otherwise it's 1960s kitsch........2007-06-26

Being an afficiando of vintage racing I was intrigued to finally see this film on DVD. It started off well, with views of mid 1960s Monaco, and in car footage that will have race fans glued to the screen. The next HOUR or so was frankly a chore to sit through. After half an hour I was thinking "Come on, get on with a story" and glancing at my watch. But it seemed to be composed largely of poor soap opera love interest stories done 1960s style. The acting is generally poor, replete with painfully forced laughter and smiling. And although it was good to see some real drivers mingling with the actors- well, they're drivers not actors.Some of the scenes have dated very badly too (especially the "groovy" party scene with young people shaking their heads to some 60s pop song-that was hilarious) delegating a large chunk of the movie firmly into the realms of kitsch. My patience was rewarded after an hour with footage of Spa.

It also has the worst soundtrack to a major film that I ever heard. The 5 minute "Overture" prior to the films commencement is one of the most hilariously poor mismatches between visuals and audio that I've encountered.

I don't mind a bit of retro nostalgia, but I wasn't expecting, or wanting it in a film like Grand Prix.

Spectacular footage.......2007-05-17

In hollywood today, this movie would have been made with big-budget visual effects, computer generated racing cars, fake scenery, etc. Watching this movie, I couldn't help but be in total awe of the racing footage captured. It's all real...no computer graphics. This is one amazing picture. I wish more movies were made this way rather than entirely in the computer.

It will never be surpassed. The best race movie ever........2007-05-16

This is one of those mysteries in the history of filmaking... However talented John Frankenheimer and the actors involved were / are, how could someone have imagined that a racing car movie made in 1966, I REPEAT, 1966, would still be, in 2007, head and shoulders bette than all the race movies ever made, before or after!!

Because "Grand Prix" is a master-piece. I will not talk about the amzaing camera angles, the perfect edition, the fact that the actor themselves drive the cars (F3 cars, it's true...), makin a montage with the actual race, the fact that the plot, altough simple, is engaging and makes you cheer for each one of the drivers.

No. I'll talk about the "feel" of the movie. It flows effortlessly, with class, energy, everything.

The best auto racing movie ever........2007-05-12

I first saw this movie in original release on the BIG screen. Since the invention of the DVD I have been waiting for Grand Prix.
The wait is finally over, and it was worth it.
Beautiful cinematography, a great score, and the cars, oh the cars.

World War II Collection, Vol. 2 - Heroes Fight for Freedom (36 Hours / Air Force / Command Decision / Hell to Eternity / The Hill / Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo)

Average customer rating:

Good Collection
dvd availability
great collection
Sub-standard WWII Collection

World War II Collection, Vol. 2 - Heroes Fight for Freedom (36 Hours / Air Force / Command Decision / Hell to Eternity / The Hill / Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo)
Starring: James Garner , Eva Marie Saint , Rod Taylor , Werner Peters , and John Banner
Director: George Seaton , Howard Hawks , and Sam Wood
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Tyrone Power: The Swashbuckler Box Set (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)
The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)
James Cagney - The Signature Collection (The Bride Came C.O.D. / Captains of the Clouds / The Fighting 69th / Torrid Zone / The West Point Story)
Hell and High Water
Unconquered (Universal Cinema Classics)

ASIN: B000NTPG70
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Studio description

Includes: 36 Hours (1965), Air Force (1943), Command Decision (1948), Hell to Eternity (1960), The Hill (1965), Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944).

Customer Reviews:

Good Collection.......2007-06-15

Some of these may have been available before now, but none in a WWII set that includes shorts and cartoons from the period. Pick any two you like and they are worth the price. "Command Decision" with Clark Gable as General Casey, a serious officer commanding a bomber group in England, is wonderfully realistic. "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" with Spencer Tracy as Jimmy Doolittle leading the first bomb raid on Japan is excellent. The others are just bonus as far as I'm concerned and a very good one at that. "The Hill" is a good military prisoner movie with Sean Connery as a prisoner. "36 Hours" with James Garner is good espionage movie. Air Force is resonably decent account of a B-17 crew that witnessed Pearl Harbor starring John Ridgely. "Hell to Eternity" with Jeffrey Hunter and David Janssen is about Hispanic boy raised by Japanese-Americans and fought for United States. Fans of WWII movies should enjoy the set. I recommend it. Especially for a Fathers Day gift.

dvd availability.......2007-03-24

I'm not sure about THE HILL, but the other 5 titles in this collection have NOT been on DVD--at least legitimiate disk. AIR FORCE, THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO, and COMMAND DECISION are all wonderful war or combat films (there's a difference between the two--see the books on the genre by Mike Mayo, Thomas Doherty and Jeanine Basinger). It's great that other classics such as THE PURPLE HEART and even the less stellar SO PROUDLY WE HAIL are finally being released this spring on DVD. Collectors and film historians should appreciate all of these titles that really reflected the country's mood between l94l and l945. Propaganda was such a vital component on the home front and these movies show us the nationalistic side of the American people at the time.

great collection.......2007-03-13

I disagree totally with the above reviewer. These films are excellent. The only one I am not thrilled with is The Hill, all the others are very good WWII films. I have been waiting for Command Decision for a long time. This collection will not disappoint.

Sub-standard WWII Collection.......2007-03-12

Of the 6 films, 3 are old films made in the '40 (Air Force; Command Decision; 30 Seconds Over Tokyo) and widely available in dvds for sometime.

Hell to Eternity is an obscure war film. 36 Hours is more fitting for espionage catagory. The Hill, which is probably the most powerful film among the 6, is a prison film.

A carefully selected Sidney Lumet Collection is highly anticipated.

Average customer rating:

Amusing
Wow !!!
A tremendous movie
Best Leone Western That He Didn't Direct
The best of all Terrence Hill Movies

My Name Is Nobody
Starring: Terence Hill , Henry Fonda , Jean Martin , Piero Lulli , and Mario Brega
Director: Tonino Valerii , and Sergio Leone
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Outlaws | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Spaghetti Western | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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

The Trinity Collection
My Name Is Trinity [Region 2]
Boot Hill
Sons of Trinity
Ace High

ASIN: B0007M21Z8
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Amazon.com

My Name is Nobody is a spoof of spaghetti Westerns, but it's also a legitimate, highly regarded entry in the genre. Its pedigree is purebred, as it was executive produced by the maestro of spaghetti Westerns, Sergio Leone, as a personal farewell to the genre that he helped to create. It's a transitional film, cheekily acknowledging the impact of The Wild Bunch and Sam Peckinpah (whose name is seen on a gravestone in one scene) and the popularity of Terence Hill, whose comedic "Trinity" films represented the last gasp of the once-glorious spaghetti Western. All of these elements are beautifully combined in the amusing tale of Nobody (Hill), an ambitious young gunman in 1899 who idolizes a legendary gunslinger Jack Beauregard, played by Henry Fonda in his final Western (and his second for Leone, after the classic Once Upon a Time in the West). Before Beauregard can retire in peace, Nobody sets up a final showdown of epic proportions, and the great Ennio Morricone enhances the abundance of memorable scenes with one of his most playfully inventive scores (including a comical use of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"). Tonino Valerii fully deserved his director's credit, but Leone also made significant contributions (including the opening scene), and the result is a delightful and surprisingly resonant film that Steven Spielberg later called his favorite Leone production. It's easy to see why: Like many of Spielberg's films, My Name is Nobody qualifies as both art and entertainment. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Young, ambitious gunman Nobody (Terence Hill) sets his eye on his idol, gunslinger Jack Beauregard (Henry Fonda), who's intent on sailing off into retirement.

Customer Reviews:

Amusing.......2007-07-03

I found this movie to be kind of amusing. If you're not a fan of cowboy movies you'll probably think the movie is kind of stupid. The parts where they show how quick Trinity is supposed to be is obvious. If you are a fan, you will get a kick out of the movie and the many jabs at other westerns. Good (not great) movie that I'm glad I added to my collection.

Wow !!!.......2007-06-27

All I can say is WOW!!!
Terence Hill surely has to be labelled as the fastest draw from the West. If you're crazy about western movies, then you really have to get your hands on this one. In particular, I liked the opening scene when Henry Fonda was at the saloon having a shave and all of a sudden all hell breaks loose and Henry delivers a fast draw and leaves and the Barber's son tell his father "wow, did you see that? Can anyone be faster than him"? and his father replies "NOBODY"......Nobody happens to be Terence Hill.

A tremendous movie.......2007-06-09

Easily one of the best of the Trinity series. Barring the lack of Bud Spencer, it can hold it's own against even the great Blazing Saddles as far as I am concerned.

Best Leone Western That He Didn't Direct.......2007-05-25

For sure "My Name is Nobody" is a parody of Leone but like the best satires it works as a homage. It doesn't hurt that the master produced and formulated the basic premise of the film. That said Tonino Valerii does a masterful job as Leone's surrogate. Terence Hill is simply wonderful in his comic variation of Clint's man with no name. It's too bad that he wasn't utilized properly in American films. "Mr Billion" and "Super Fuzz", please. Henry Fonda is at his iconic best as the retiring gunslinger. The polar styles of Hill and Fonda work fabulously. If the film can be faulted it's for length and story lapses. There were times I thought the narrative a little incoherent. Lastly, Ennio Morricone contributes a fantastic score. Morricone not only references previous Leone ventures, most prominently "Once Upon A Time in the West", but also cleverly incorporates Wagner. A qualified success but a success nonetheless.

The best of all Terrence Hill Movies.......2007-03-30

This a great western movie.

I think is the best western movie with Terrence Hill and the Master Henry Fonda. No wonder Peter Fonda is a great actor.

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming

Average customer rating:

Remembering the time
The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming
"Tell him that he's under arrest."
one of the best
FUNNY

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming
Starring: Carl Reiner , Eva Marie Saint , Alan Arkin , Brian Keith , and Jonathan Winters
Director: Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Great Race (Sub)
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
The In-Laws
The Mouse That Roared

ASIN: B00006FDAX
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Amazon.com essential video

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming looks overly cute now, but really, it was pretty hip for 1966. The cold war was in full deep-freeze when this well-meaning comedy tried to thaw things out a little: a Soviet submarine beaches on the New England coast, sending the locals into a paranoid frenzy. The chief pleasure of the film is Alan Arkin as the sub captain; this was Arkin's first major film role, and he had already mastered his exasperated, slow-burning frown (to say nothing of mastering his Russian dialogue). Arkin snagged an Oscar® nomination, with the movie receiving nominations for best picture, adapted screenplay, and editing--nods that reflect the film's smashing success at the box office. Somewhat dated now, the movie still has its place in the roster of raucous, American small-town comedies; seen in childhood, it will linger nicely as a depiction of foolish grown-ups. --Robert Horton

Description

When a sightseeing Soviet commander runs his submarine aground off the New England coast, the crew's attempts to find a boat to dislodge them almost start WWIII! Alan Arkin leads an all-star castincluding Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Brian Keith and Jonathan Wintersin this riotous, uproarious [and] side-splitting (Cue) comedy! Russian Lt. Rozanov (Arkin) and his crew hit the beaches of Massachusetts unaware of the panic they're about to start. Despite the Russians harmless intentions, the folks in town think a full-scale Soviet invasion has been launched! What's worse, theirpolice chief (Keith) has left his hysterical assistant (Winters) in charge and the one man who knows the truth (Reiner) is only stirring up more chaos!

Customer Reviews:

Remembering the time.......2007-07-04

This is a fun movie about US paranoia with the Russians during the Cold War.

The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming.......2007-07-02

One of the nuttiest Cold War comedies of the 1960s, Norman Jewison's box-office hit "The Russians Are Coming" has a broad, frantic quality that will resonate with kids, past and present. Oscar nominee Alan Arkin stands out as the desperate Russian commander trying to avoid an international incident, and Jonathan Winters is a howl as an unhinged deputy sheriff mobilizing the nearby village. Note: a short advance briefing on the dynamics of the Cold War will likely increase your kids' enjoyment of this movie.

"Tell him that he's under arrest.".......2007-07-01

There are a couple of movie moments that will stick in my mind forever.

One is Donald Sutherland in "Kelly's Heroes", unbuttoning his pistol like a gunfighter - in the face of a German Tiger tank. Another is Brian Keith telling the Russian submarine captain that he's under arrest, towards the end of "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming".

I think this must be the movie where Alan Arkin perfected his actor persona that I call "the long-suffering, put-upon, reasonable guy in difficult circumstances who just wants everything to work out ok". He reprised this role in "Catch 22".

This is a fun movie that does a lot to put a funny human face on the cold war.

one of the best.......2007-05-19

For those that experienced the cold war this is an exceptional movie. For those who only read about it the movie is merely great. It's nearly impossible to fault anything in here. It has a terrific collection of actors, the story is compelling, the whole family can watch and enjoy it. It's message is right on target and eternal. Winter's comment (not sure I can quote it) is so appropriate: "Why can't we all just get along?" There are just a few movies that I can watch over and over again and still enjoy; this is one of them.

FUNNY.......2007-05-08

I thought this was a great movie without the main characters taking off all their clothes and the stupid sex scenes or rap and hip-hop music we seem to have to make something a hit. Yeah, it's a dated movie but great entertainment.

Average customer rating:

adorable family film!
Excellent Film For The Whole Family
Because of Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie a Winner
Graeat film for children

Because of Winn-Dixie
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb , Jeff Daniels , Cicely Tyson , Dave Matthews , and Eva Marie Saint
Director: Wayne Wang
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Animals | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Because of Winn-Dixie
Dreamer - Inspired By a True Story (Widescreen Edition)
Robots (Widescreen Edition)
Ice Princess (Widescreen Edition)
The Polar Express (Full Screen Edition)

ASIN: B0009NZ2KG
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Amazon.com

Some people think "family entertainment" is an oxymoron, but even they might enjoy Because of Winn-Dixie. This straightforward story of a girl and her dog is simple without being simplistic, heartfelt without being sappy, and thoughtful without being ponderous. Opal (Annasophia Robb, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, who manages the near-impossible feat of being cute without being cutesy) can't make any friends in the small town of Naomi until she hooks up with a dog that's running loose in a supermarket. She spontaneously names him after the store and soon the dog is leading her into unexpected places--a pet store, where she meets an awkward musician (Dave Matthews); a library, where she meets a librarian with as many stories as books (Eva Marie Saint); and into a house shrouded with underbrush, where she meets a blind old woman who sees with her heart (Cicely Tyson). This could have been sentimental glop, but director Wayne Wang (Smoke, The Joy Luck Club) and a restrained script draw honest emotions from the actors and an eerie beauty from the Florida landscape; this one of the few family movies that captures the childhood sense that everyday life can be mystical. Also starring Jeff Daniels (The Purple Rose of Cairo, Something Wild) as Opal's minister father. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Based on the best-selling book, BECAUSE OF WINN-Dixie is the heartwarming "tail" of a young girl (Annasophia Robb) whose life is changed by a scruffy, fun-loving pooch she names Winn-Dixie. The special bond between them works magic on her reserved dad (Jeff Daniels) and the eccentric townspeople they meet during one unforgettable summer.

Customer Reviews:

adorable family film!.......2007-06-28

This movie is fun and cute to watch. The characters are well written and you care about them and what happens to them. The animals are adorable to watch and are well trained. It was a funny scene when one of the animals damaged the officer's car. The plot never slows and keeps you satisfied until the end. It is refreshing to see Hollywood produce quality films such as this one.

Excellent Film For The Whole Family.......2007-05-21

My wife and I watched this movie. It is nice to see a family movie, that tells a great story with great acting that children can understand and enjoy and adults would be hooked along with their kids. Dogs help accomplish this, and the dog here is wonderful.

The story focuses on the character played by AnnaSophia Robb, a daughter of a preacher (Jeff Daniels). If, like me, you are a Christian who is used to negative portrayals of Christians, don't worry. Yes, Daniel's character is human, but no less so than any other character. In this case, the portrayal is neutral, with him not being a hypocrite but more being disconnected, partially due to the pain in his life.

There are lessons for community in this film. The only thing I'd do differently . . . mild spoiler, here . . . was show transformation in the police officer. But that is a minor complaint.

Jeff

Because of Winn-Dixie.......2007-05-14

Very cute movie! I purchased it for my 7 year old grand daughter, but I watched it with her. This is a movie that the entire family can watch and enjoy. I liked it so much that I could watch it again....that's saying something for me. Winn-Dixie brought father and daughter closer together and it helped them both to be able to talk about her mother that was no longer a part of her life.

Winn-Dixie a Winner.......2007-05-12

Beacause of Winn Dixie is a great movie for kids of all ages. Highly Recommended!

Graeat film for children.......2007-03-27

My daughter can't get enough of "Winn Dixie". There is no inapproriate adult humor. The story is sweet and inspiring, a must have for animal lovers and pet owners with children!

Average customer rating:

Unique and Sublime
Just as avertised
Spiritual Wisdom
Brother Sun, Sister Moon: Maybe their is Hope!
Gorgeous Canticle Reflects St. Francis

Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Starring: Graham Faulkner , Judi Bowker , Leigh Lawson , Kenneth Cranham , and Lee Montague
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Religion | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

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

Francis of Assisi
The Song of Bernadette
Miracle of Marcelino
The Agony and the Ecstasy
Therese

ASIN: B00015HX9A
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Amazon.com

It seemed like a good idea in 1973: a musical scored by Donovan about the life and times of St. Francis of Assisi, the passionate ascetic who expressed love for God by loving nature. But the finished product was something else. Filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli (Endless Love) makes a decorous effort at communicating the ideals of Francis and even tweaking the character toward flower-power relevance. But the result is feel-good fluff, a boring movie that doesn't penetrate its subject as much as reinvent him toward a modern bias. Graham Faulkner is entirely forgettable in the lead, and Donovan's songs on this project aren't exactly first-rate, either. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Unique and Sublime.......2007-06-27

If you have ever been believed that butterflies glide and swoop with thoughts of pure delight, or that the souls of men may indeed soar like birds delighting in the freedom air and sun, then this is a film for you. A rarity among the movie making gendre, for there is no spin, no contradictory message to fog the moral compass of the soul. This is just the true story of an exceptional man, a rebel against the values that enslave the thoughts, which are but chains of misery, of present day as with 13th century Italy, masterfully told by one of the greatest director of all time. A film to be cherished on high as with the rare likes of "A Man for All Seasons." And one that I can never tire of as a result of its profundity.

Just as avertised.......2007-06-08

Was delivered quickly, well packaged and in condition as described. Absolutely no complaints

Spiritual Wisdom.......2007-05-13

This is by far one of my favourite movies of all time and is a must watch for just about everyone on the planet. It is a great rendision of St. Francis. If you watch this movie and don't like it, then you need to watch it again and open your heart and eyes to love because you missed the point the first time. Whether or not this is the best picture about St. Francis does not matter. It's the movie it'self that draws on an open heart concept. Don't miss this film. I highly recommend buying this one for anyones collection.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon: Maybe their is Hope!.......2007-05-12

I am not a religious person nor do I beleive in life after death. That being said, seeing Brother Sun Sister Moon gives me hope in the human being in that the message behind of it all is: what ever people may say on you or however you are judge, just fallow the path you think is yours.
It might be an odd review, but the rest you must see; its a Masterwork.
The scenes are breathtaking and the actors are beautiful. The music and songs will take you elswhere, and that is precious. If possible: THREE thumbs up!

Gorgeous Canticle Reflects St. Francis.......2007-03-22

Franco Zefferelli's biography of St. Francis, `Brother Sun and Sister Moon,' is a bona fide masterpiece. The cinematography--thanks partly to Ennio Guarnieno--unfolds kaleidoscopically. The editing and camera angles are sheer perfection. Watching the beauty unfold in every scene, village and landscape have the glory as if they were from Francis's own eyes. Created in 1972, Zefferelli draws from an audience during the waning years of the hippie era. Nevertheless, his implementation of an icon classic is one of the few figures of Catholicism to thrive during that time. (Unless you want to qualify John XXIII, but he provided less hippie appeal.) `Brother...' is sensual without being disrespectful and enjoyable without becoming out of context. The architecture and garments never forget that Francis came from medieval times--even if the pageantry, too, imitates a peacock's myriad of colors. Included in the story is a rather harsh rendering of ecclesiastical authority. (G.K. Chesterton, in his biography of Francis, maintains that upon their meeting, Francis was the big man and the pope was the small man, but the small man was needed. Francis restored a gospel simplicity to a church that was as damaged as the actual one he had to reassemble, but the pope had prudent points to make.) Francis's father and the local bishop bring enough conflict to provide a plot. Anyway, theology aside, there isn't much to argue about in this rendering. Besides Alec Guinness doesn't disappoint as the pope. Speaking of acting, Graham Faulkner is a dead-ringer in looks and interpretation for the troubadour of God and nature. And "Sister Moon," Claire (Judy Bowner)--if you will--is radiant, even if she seems misplaced--more like a runner-up to play Juliet. Every aspect of Francis is represented, and, although, like the rest of us, he led an episodic life, the threads are woven as seamlessly as one of his father's garments. Francis's life comes off like a glistening mosaic in movie form. Zefferelli's treatment of Francis walks on water. Never plodding nor resorting to spiritual fast food, the pace is as flawless as everything else. How they manage to use Donovan's original soundtrack and a "Gloria" that never become tongue-in-cheek or embarrassing is a miracle in itself. (Donovan was a perfect choice for exhuding the saint's simplicity.) Florid without being vapid, timely without seeming dated, 'Brother Sun and Sister Moon' is a celebration of Francis's life. Like his rendering of 'Romeo and Juliet,' `Brother Sun and Sister Moon' deserves to be a Zefferelli classic.

Average customer rating:

exodus was a gift purchase
exodus
A decent film.
A 210-Minute Run-Time Does Not Alone A Great Film Make
Birth of Israel

Exodus
Starring: Paul Newman , Eva Marie Saint , Ralph Richardson , Peter Lawford , and Lee J. Cobb
Director: Otto Preminger
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Cast a Giant Shadow
The Chosen
Judgment at Nuremberg
Exodus
QB VII

ASIN: B00006FDAU
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Amazon.com essential video

Otto Preminger's 1960 adaptation of Leon Uris's novel is a sprawling 220-minute tale of the founding of modern Israel, starring Paul Newman as a Resistance leader. The film works best as an example of Preminger's estimable skill with all levels of drama and action, but as a reflection upon history it is compromised by stereotypes, unpersuasive relationships, and a certain moral ambivalence about issues related to the subject. There are good and exciting sequences, however, particularly one involving an effort to break through a British blockade and get to the homeland. --Tom Keogh

Description

Inspired by Leon Uris' international bestseller, this "extraordinarily moving" (The New Republic) chronicle of the rebirth of a people and the establishment of a nation is the ultimate experience in human drama. Nominated* for three Academy Awards® and winner* for Best Score, Exodus is an "exciting, dramatic, scenic, panoramic and deeply moving" (New York Daily News) masterpiece. Ari Ben Canaan (Paul Newman), a commander of the Israeli underground, manages to lead 600 Jews from the detention camps of Cyprus onto a large freighter bound for Palestine. But British forces soon learn of his plan and insist that he turn back. Undaunted, Ari and his passengers refuse to give up, risking their lives for the greater cause of Israeli independence.

Customer Reviews:

exodus was a gift purchase.......2007-05-29

you send me a email wanting to review this movie, didn't watch it, got it for a gift. sorry

exodus.......2007-04-19

I have always enjoyed this movie ever since I saw it in the city of Melbourne, at the Esquire theatre about thirty eight years ago.There is only one fault I can find and that is the print,so I ask that it might be remastered its original 70mm negative and 5.1 digital sound and of course 16.9 enhanced screen.The current print is in 4.3 and letterbox and it does not suit my new widescreen t.v So how about it M.G.M
Ken Barrett Melbourne Australia

A decent film........2007-03-23

Overall this is a decent film. Compared to the book, the film is definitely intended to evoke more sympathy for the Jewish plight in Europe after WWII, considering it focuses almost entirely on the DP camps in Cyprus, whereas the book devotes equal attention to the DP camps and the actual political and military maneuvering involved in building the state of Israel. One note definitely in favor of the film is that it's depection of the Exodus incident follows the historical facts a little bit more accurately. All in all, still a pretty good film, glad I bought it.

A 210-Minute Run-Time Does Not Alone A Great Film Make.......2007-03-22

Not in the same class as the David Leans films of the era, Exodus still tells a weighty tale. Set in the Mediterranean and Mid-East right after World War Two, this story of Jewish refugees and the struggle to establish Israel seems in the twenty-first century both fascinatingly historic and also sorrowfully naive. I kept wondering what the central characters from the 1940's would have thought had they been able to see the future and glimpse what their idealistic experiment in colonization would set in motion over the next sixty years. Paul Newman has great presence in this movie, and is particularly pleasing when he privately mocks the bigoted British officer who claims he can "always spot the face of a Jew." However it is Saul Mineo, playing a displaced Jewish teen, whose on-screen anger at the world steals the show from its stars. Exodus moves slowly but still manages to exclude an excess of depth from its plot. I also knew almost from the start that the innocent blonde Danish girl was surely marked for sacrifice, and this almost seemed tedious. As I watched Exodus I often contemplated what the film might have been in the hands of David Lean, or even a young Stanley Kubric, because there was something choppy about the final product, especially in the ways scenes were so obviously spliced together in an attempt to give the illusion that a conversation was going on when in actuality actors were speaking lines not to one another but to an empty set. It was little things like that more than even its unnecessarily long run-time that brought Exodus from classic to near-classic. Even its soundtrack lacked the force of a masterpiece.

Birth of Israel.......2007-03-08

A very well made movie depicting the early days of Israel. Leon Uris did a great job putting it in print. Robert Newman did the main character justice

Average customer rating:

SEAN CONNERY? AN ARAB TRIBAL EADER??
The Winds Blows. The Lion Roars.
Not too bad
See The Man Who Would Be King for better Connery, Huston and Middle East intrigue
CLASSIC SWASHBUCKLING ADVENTURE AND COMMENT ON U.S. POLICY

The Wind and the Lion
Starring: Chris Aller , Luis Barboo , Deborah Baxter , Candice Bergen , and Sean Connery
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

The Man Who Would Be King
Khartoum
Zulu
Zulu Dawn
Robin and Marian

ASIN: B0000EYUCK
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Amazon.com

The up-and-down career of director John Milius had no finer moment than The Wind and the Lion, a dandy adventure tale. It's based on fact: An American (played by Candice Bergen) and her two children were kidnapped in 1904 Morocco by a Berber tribe, an international incident settled by President Theodore Roosevelt's "big stick" military muscle. The film's sweep and swagger are unabashedly old-fashioned, even as Milius occasionally pokes fun at the grand characters. Some of the peripheral material is sloppy, but as long as Milius keeps his sights locked on the two powerful protagonists, he's dead-on: Brian Keith makes a gutsy Roosevelt, and Sean Connery is in splendid form (with Scots accent in place--got a problem with that?) as the dashing Berber chieftain. Perhaps overshadowed by John Huston's The Man Who Would be King the same year (Huston plays advisor John Hay in this one), Wind makes a marvelous companion piece. --Robert Horton

Description

An American is kidnapped by a rebellious Arab chieftain, principally as a means to embarrass the Sultan of Morocco. This abduction sparks the threat of armed intervention by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Customer Reviews:

SEAN CONNERY? AN ARAB TRIBAL EADER??.......2007-05-21

Only Sean Connery, with his thick, albeit familiar accent could pull off a role such as this, with Candace Bergen no less as the believeable heroine. Sprawling vistas, great cinematography, great soundtrack make this a must collector item for lovers of adventure films and historical epics. In spite of the beheadings (tastefully depicted) my entire family enjoyed the picture.

shullcat2003

The Winds Blows. The Lion Roars........2007-03-18

Magnificent Movie. The scene were the ambitious U.S. Marine Captain performs a "movement to contact" assault upon the sultan and the palace is inspirational. Historically speaking it is shot in precise detail from the naval personnel detachments to the employment of the Infantry Rifle Company. The various characters' humorous sublime reactions in these real world scenarios of Theodore Roosevelt's presidential periodic doctrine of "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick" adds humor where it would be least expected. It ain't "The Wild Bunch" though. Clever directing in correspondence with writers portrays the script and it's actors to their well rounded versatility's. How about actress Deborah Baxter when she was young? Sean Connery is only one of the film's many talented cast. The philosophy of having found something worth losing everything for is in-synch with this film's format.

Not too bad.......2007-03-10

Men will like this shoot-em-up. The most interesting scene in the movie was the one where a military regiment marched into Tangier, followed by a brass band. I am quite sure that they really were U S Marines.

See The Man Who Would Be King for better Connery, Huston and Middle East intrigue.......2007-02-19

I didn't like this one. Here is why:
-It is unevenly paced and slackly directed. Heavy on the action/swash-buckling, lite on the substance.
-At no time was Sean Connery anyone but Sean Connery. He is surely an "international star" but I still
cringe when persona overwhelms character.
-Candice Bergen was annoyingly bland. The romance of the film is weak and always on the verge, leaving
the tension unrealized.
-The hyper-patriotism, something like Milius' hyper-masculine forte, overwhelms any nuance or adroitness
that a scenario such as this requires. Any research into this story will yield that the reality was that an
Englishman and his son were kidnapped, and that no military force was used. This is only an issue
because using the basic story as an adventure tale of American thuggery-diplomacy is less than exciting.
Unless you are a fan of rousing heavy handed mythos.
-I have never seen this many horses fall as their rider is shot or bombarded. It looks real, and accurate, but
I found it distracting.
-While the violence is unremitting, almost all the lead characters are as well. This left me uninterested in them. Except
Brian Keith's Teddy Roosevelt.

It's not all bad. Here's what I did like:
-Brian Keith. He's the best Teddy Roosevelt I've seen in film. That he wasn't nominated as a best supporting
actor is unfortunate.
-Jerry Goldsmith's score is rousing and epic, very good. He was nominated, deservedly. Predictably, he lost
to John Williams and Jaws.
-Billy Williams cinematography. Shot in Spain, doubling for Morocco-the scope and terrain are gorgeous
and epic.
-The stunt work is fabulous.

CLASSIC SWASHBUCKLING ADVENTURE AND COMMENT ON U.S. POLICY.......2007-02-18

This has been one of my favourite movies for many, many years. It has it all: wild adventure, sword fights, charging horses, explosions, heads flying in every direction, more explosions, and some astonishing performances by many of Hollywood's best character actors. And it has Sean Connery -- the only James Bond -- turning in a stellar performance. And it features the wildly underrated Brian Keith turning in a memorable performance as the great President Theodore Roosevelt. I watched this movie again and was struck by its comment on U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East. In Keith's scene were the U.S. is compared to a grizzly bear -- strong, dominating, respected, but hated, feared, and sometimes blind and wild, however, often lonely -- summed up nicely U.S. foreign policy over the decades. Keith's Roosevelt is gruff, strong, intelligent, and throughly honest in his perceptions of the world and the mad men who run it. He doesn't see Connery's character as an ignorant Arab bandit: he sees him as someone fighting to keep foreigners from controlling his land; he wants his country to remain his country. And he sees the established Arab leadership as corrupted by the influence of the Great European Powers. One wonders what Teddy would think of the Bush Administration and its adventure in Iraq.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

8 1/2 - Criterion Collection