Alice Faye

The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection [Remastered] (The Sound of Music / The King and I / Oklahoma! / South Pacific / State Fair / Carousel)

Average customer rating:

All of them
Fun, Fun, Fun
Fantastic - All the great Musicals in one compact package
A Collection of Great Musical Dramas
A Joyous Viewing Experience

The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection [Remastered] (The Sound of Music / The King and I / Oklahoma! / South Pacific / State Fair / Carousel)
Starring: Pat Boone , Bobby Darin , Pamela Tiffin , Ann-Margret , and Tom Ewell
Director: José Ferrer , Walter Lang , and Fred Zinnemann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Musicals & Performing Arts | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

Flower Drum Song
The Music Man (Special Edition)
The Premiere Frank Capra Collection (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / It Happened One Night / You Can't Take It with You / Mr. Deeds Goes to Town / American Madness / Frank Capra's American Dream) [Region 99]
My Fair Lady
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

ASIN: B000HT3PGU
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Description

Disc 1: Carousel Special Edition Disc 2: Carousel Special Edition-Bonus Disc Disc 3: King and I Special Edition Disc 4: King and I Special Edition-Bonus Disc Disc 5: South Pacific Special Edition Disc 6: South Pacific Special Edition-Bonus Disc Disc 7: Sound of Music Special Edition Disc 8: Sound of Music Special Edition-Bonus Disc Disc 9: State Fair Special Edition Disc 10: State Fair Special Edition-Bonus Disc Disc 11: Oklahoma Special Edition Disc 12: Oklahoma Special Edition-Bonus Disc

Customer Reviews:

All of them.......2007-06-12

I have enjoyed having them as my own and adding to my collection so I can watch them whenever I want and as often as I want but most especially with no commercials and no editing!! Thanks.

Fun, Fun, Fun.......2007-06-03

We love the effort that has been put into these DVDs. We will often set the disk to play just the "song" chapters.

We use the "sing-a-long" setting to teach our daughter to read.

If you love the music purchase this set. If you love the movies purchase this set.

Fantastic - All the great Musicals in one compact package.......2007-05-21

Not only does this set have all the classics there are bonus features (extra cd's) on each glorious movie. You cannot go wrong with this set. If you have children, this is a must-buy item - they will view these movies over and over again. And no worries about inappropriate materials - this is good wholesome entertainment for the entire family.

A Collection of Great Musical Dramas.......2007-05-14

The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organisation has released this boxed set containing six of their film musicals, each of which comes with a second disc of bonus archival material and documentaries elaborating on the shows. The extra content varies: For example, in Carousel, the film of Liliom, the book on which the R&H show is based is included in its entirety. The bonus discs are themselves compelling viewing, especially prior to watching the main feature, which could be at a later stage because it could be too long to do both in one sitting; besides, these are the great masterpieces of the American Musical Theatre and Drama, although State Fair was first a film, and transferrred onto the stage more recently, and posthumously for the authors.

The stage and film musicals that Richard Rodgers, music, and Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics, collaborated on, in both cases later in their careers, are the greatest of musical dramas to be found.

It makes revisiting these shows all the more interesting. These are the CinemaScope 55 versions.The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection [Remastered] (The Sound of Music / The King and I / Oklahoma! / South Pacific / State Fair / Carousel)

A Joyous Viewing Experience.......2007-05-13

The quality and beauty of the productions was first rate. My wife and I have enjoyed them all thoroughly and we will view them over and over again. Thank you for making them available.

The Alice Faye Collection (That Night in Rio / Lillian Russell / On the Avenue / The Gang's All Here)

Average customer rating:

Alice is Great as Lillian Russell - So Are Weber & Fields
A Hit and Miss Affair
Great set, but there is one blunder...
Faye and Miranda Shine in Box Set
It's the color!

The Alice Faye Collection (That Night in Rio / Lillian Russell / On the Avenue / The Gang's All Here)
Starring: Alice Faye , Don Ameche , Henry Fonda , Edward Arnold , and Warren William
Director: Irving Cummings , and Roy Del Ruth
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Musicals & Performing Arts | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

The Doris Day Collection, Vol. 2 (Romance on the High Seas / My Dream Is Yours / On Moonlight Bay / I'll See You in My Dreams / By the Light of the Silvery Moon / Lucky Me)
Best Foot Forward
Literary Classics Collection (Madame Bovary (1949), Captain Horatio Hornblower, The Three Musketeers (1948), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 and 1952 Versions), Billy Budd)
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)

ASIN: B000K7VHMS
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

The brevity of her stardom might account for her relative lack of 21st-century fame, but believe it: Alice Faye was a huge star. She was the queen of Twentieth Century Fox for a few years and became the heroine of the wartime musical until she was displaced by her Fox stablemate Betty Grable. As a singer, she enjoyed a string of hits with her surprising voice, a low, mellow croon, which somehow sounds like the World War II homefront. Faye's fleshy, cornfed face had much to do with her girl-next-door persona, although the figure she shows off in a gold dress in That Night in Rio leaves no doubt about another aspect of her appeal.

The four-disc Alice Faye Collection gives a cross-section of Faye's Fox career: one film as the up-and-comer (On the Avenue), two splashy mega-musicals (The Gang's All Here and That Night in Rio), and one expensive, serious musical biopic (Lillian Russell). In all, she smolders rather than burns, and rarely goes long without a song.

The 1937 On the Avenue is an Irving Berlin spectacle with a silly streak: Broadway boy Dick Powell locks horns with the richest girl in America (Madeleine Carroll), with Faye on the sidelines as Powell's regular-gal pal. You can see why audiences loved her, and the movie itself is a snappy, sarcastic little gem, featuring some antic routines by the Ritz Brothers and a kooky collection of Berlin tunes (including "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"). Lillian Russell, a 1940 bio of the famous Gay 90s singer, was intended as Faye's crack at a dramatic role. The movie's whitewash of Russell's real story (which, as a 20-minute documentary makes clear, made Russell the Madonna of her era) limits Faye's chances. Henry Fonda plays a long-faithful suitor, with Don Ameche and Edward Arnold (reprising his title role from the film Diamond Jim Brady) also in her orbit. That Night in Rio casts Faye opposite frequent co-star Ameche again; he plays a double role, as a suave Baron and a brash nightclub impersonator. The story is nonsense, but Carmen Miranda is around to do the chica-boom, and Alice looks drop-dead sexy.

And then there's The Gang's All Here, one of Hollywood's most legendary excursions into surrealism. Don't pay attention to the plot--just check out director Busby Berkeley's lunatic staging of the dance numbers. "The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat," a showpiece for Carmen Miranda (it's the one with the giant bananas in a chorus line) looks like something dreamed up by Salvador Dali after an acid trip. Benny Goodman's swing band is also around.

Some care has gone into the DVD extras: a two-part bio of Alice Faye, featuring her daughters (and giving the story of how Faye walked away from film in 1945); a charming film she made for the Pfizer drug company, extolling the virtues of keeping fit; and a 20-minute intro to Berkeley's style. The print transfers are more problematic. Avenue looks fine, and Rio looks like other Fox color films of the era. Lillian Russell is preceded by a disclaimer warning of the limitations of original source materials, and indeed the print here is marred by serious tears in the middle of the screen during a few sequences. Gang's All Here will disappoint Technicolor fans; the colors don't "pop" as they should, and the film looks dimmer and vaguer than its onetime splendor. Here's hoping a cleaner, fuller version will emerge. --Robert Horton

Description

Disc 1: THE GANGS ALL HERE Disc 2: ON THE AVENUE Disc 3: LILLIAN RUSSELL Disc 4: THAT NIGHT IN RIO

Customer Reviews:

Alice is Great as Lillian Russell - So Are Weber & Fields.......2007-06-02

This set is a very good compendium of Alice Faye's prime films from her prime era in the late 1930s and early 1940s. My focus here is on her 1940 epic, LILLIAN RUSSELL, a rather problematic film but not for those who understand that 1.) it's a musical, not a documentary; and 2.) as the author of the film's screenplay stated, "My is purpose is to present Lillian Russell as people remember her, not as she really was." So what's the problem?

The real Lillian was quite a gal who apparently had had affairs with wealthy Jesse Lewissohn (try finding HIM on an Internet search) and Diamond Jim Brady (today his claim to fame is that the Johns Hopkins Urological Center is named after him). But William Anthony McGuire, who is credited with the film's screenplay (he wrote routines for Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld in the 1920s) cannily wove his story with a nod both to the film censors and to his insider's knowledge of Broadway in Russell's heyday. If you know what REALLY happened, you will realize that McGuire did a pretty good job of suggesting the events of that day.

For me, the highlight of LILLIAN RUSSELL is a short sequence near the end of the film by Lillian's real-life employers back in 1895 - Joe Weber and Lew Fields. They were a comedy team who began as teenagers in New York City's Bowery of 1879. Weber & Fields became their own producers by 1889, then began producing other Broadway shows by the 1890s. When they hired Lillian Russell in 1895, her career seemed on the downswing - she was not known for her comedic abilities. But Weber & Fields took a chance (while paying her lavishly) and Lillian reinvented herself on the music hall stage.

Weber & Fields initially parted company in 1904 when they disagreed on the types of musical plays they wanted to produce, but reunited in 1912 and therafter, while continuing to produce various shows independently of each other.

Remarkably, although all their contemporaries had died long before the film LILLIAN RUSSELL was produced in 1940 (Lillian herself expired in 1922, Diamond Jim Brady in 1917), Weber & Fields were still going strong in 1940 (although retired and living in Beverly Hills, CA).

The film's producer Darryl Zanuck contacted the team and they filmed one brief routine for the film in January 1940. That should have been the end of their involvement. But Zanuck liked the routine so much, he invited them back and asked them to expand the routine. Zanuck set aside three days to film the expanded sequence. Weber & Fields, by then in their mid-70s, filmed a total of four different takes in only three hours. The only retakes were due to laughter by the film crew - the boys were letter perfect in all four takes. It turned out to be their final performance.

The sequence is so rich that after watching it five times I'm still discovering lines and bits of business that somehow I missed in earlier viewings. One throw-away bit occurs when Lew Fields is shuffling a deck of cards - he tells Joe Weber that he was talking to David Warfield back stage (Warfield was a comedian in Weber & Fields' company who successfully managed to transform himself into a dramatic star on Broadway). Fields says, "Do you know what he said?" Weber replies, "I dunno - he wants more money?" "No," says Fields, "He wants to play dramatic parts." Admittedly, a viewer who never heard of David Warfield will make no sense of this dialogue. Movie viewers in 1940 would have followed the conversation perfectly. Many film critics in 1940 thought the Weber & Fields sequence was the best scene in the film.

To Fox's credit, a short bio on the real Lillian Russell is part of the bonus material, along with "on the set" photos of Joe Weber and Lew Fields taking their last bow a half century later. So this film is not a documentary! It wasn't meant to be one.

A Hit and Miss Affair.......2007-05-05

To me, this is one of those collections where you win some, you lose some.
It gets my four stars for "That Night in Rio" and "The Gang's all Here", both epitomising the gaudy, sometimes garish, tuneful Fox musicals after they went into color. "Rio" is actually a tour de force for Don Ameche and Carmen Miranda, but Alice looks and sings her best in an unusually sophisticated role. Similarly, she's great in "The Gang's All Here", another splashy extravaganza given an extra kick by Busby Berkley's inventive and bizarre talents. But to me, the most bizarre aspect of this movie is the inclusion of someone called Phil Baker, whom I gather was well known in radio at the time. Radio is where he should have stayed. On film, he has no impact, no looks, no charisma and no visible talent. The other two movies in this collection get thumbs down from me. "On the Avenue" comes over as a weak attempt at screwball comedy set to music, which is a pity as the music is good and even though Alice has a supporting role she gets the best Berlin numbers and sings them beautifully. A pity about the Ritz Brothers. Their so-called comedy routines are painful. Which also goes for the attempt to re-create the comedy team of Weber and Fields in a long, boring sequence of "Lillian Russell". It's unfunny, which is a shame, because if ever a movie needed a lift it's "Lillian Russell". Despite the obvious opulence of sets and costumes, there's something depressing and funereal about this B&W film that cries out for color and vivacity. The script launderised Russell's life, so if they weren't sticking to facts the writers could have at least lightened things up a little. Alice plods through it, doing her best, but it's a mournful affair. This is the trouble with some collections - they package the lesser with the best. But in this case, the best is worth it for Faye fans.

Great set, but there is one blunder..........2007-04-12

This is a very nice set from Fox. After the dismal sales of the Betty Grable Collection, I was worried that Alice Faye's films wouldn't be coming out. Not the case. Fox did an excellent job with extras and the transfers look very good, except The Gangs All Here. It's really disappointng since this was such a vibrant Technicolor musical. The movie looks washed out and has a mustardy yellow greenish tinge. If you look at the restoration comparison, you'll clearly see that the Laser Disc version from 1994 was sooooo much better. They should seriously do something with this awful transfer and do a disc replacement. Shame on you fox. Other than that one mishap, this is a grear set for Alice Faye fans and musical fans, too.

Faye and Miranda Shine in Box Set.......2007-04-08

At first I was disappointed with the Alice Fay Boxed Set. Then I watched all the films, brilliantly restored and looking as good as new. I bought the set for 'The Gang's All Here'( my favorite movie musical) and 'That Night in Rio', I'm really more of a Carmen Miranda fan. However the other two Fay movies are absolute masterpiec and examples of Faye at her best. 'Lillian Russel' is a biography of one of the great ladies of the Theater during the 19th century, Faye is a revelation all by herself in that film! 'On the Avenue' is a rompimg, frolicing fun musical. Especially Impressive are the extra materials included, some of the best and most informative 'extras' I've seen. This box set is not to be missed for fans of Alice Faye or Carmen Miranda! You can exhale now. But I'm holding out for a Carmen Miranda box set all her own!!

It's the color!.......2007-04-02

I am so glad to see these films on DVD that I hate to give the set anything less that five stars. However, I was disappointed in "The Gang's All Here" like other reviewers, because of the color. I have this film on laser disc and the print is much better. Technicolor is especially important to this film. What happened? Collectors have come to expect the best when DVDs are released these days and this movie should have been treated with more respect. I am still happy with the others in the set so why not release more Alice Faye, maybe even some of the older films from the mid-30s? Everything from 1939 through 1943 should be available at some point.

Average customer rating:

Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell & a Calfornia beach at night..
Drifter stumbles into a small town murder
Three and a Half Stars
"I got everything by talking fast in a world that goes for talking. And ended up with exactly nothing."
Very entertaining film noir

Fallen Angel (Fox Film Noir)
Starring: Alice Faye , Dana Andrews , Linda Darnell , Charles Bickford , and Anne Revere
Director: Otto Preminger
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Film Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

House on Telegraph Hill (Fox Film Noir)
Where the Sidewalk Ends (Fox Film Noir)
Whirlpool (Fox Film Noir)
No Way Out (Fox Film Noir)
The Dark Corner (Fox Film Noir)

ASIN: B000CNE088
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Description

June Mills (Alice Faye) and her sister Clara live a quiet life in a small coastal town until Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews), a smooth-talking con man, comes into their lives. He seems to fall hard for June but Clara believes he?s only interested in the family fortune. Meanwhile, sultry waitress Stella (Linda Darnell) catches Stanton's fancy and thinks he might be her ticket out of town. The local cop (Charles Bickford) knows more than he's telling about his fellow citizens and their tangled relationships which draw even tighter after a shocking murder.

Customer Reviews:

Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell & a Calfornia beach at night.........2007-05-31

How can you beat that? One of my favorite of the genre' so far. Eric (Andrews) rolls into town penniless. He's been kicked off a bus headed for San Francisco. He finds himself at Pop's, the local diner. The biggest attraction in town is the waitress, Stella (Darnell). Keeping track of her are Pops, the jukebox repairman, the local retired big city dick (Charles Bickford) & Eric who falls for her immediately. Stella is looking to blow this town. Eric wants it to be with him. He needs $$ & after a brief business deal, he meets decides to romance the richest girl in town, June(Alice Faye). She's not exactely chopped liver but is very gullible & falls for Eric immediately. In a matter of days it seems, they are married & headed for San Francisco . She has given Eric full access to her $20,000. At this point, Stella wants nothing to do with Eric. He's a married man. Besides, she also has other men she is stringing along. Eric & June return & that night Stella is murdered. Eric is not found in his bride's bed the next morning. Guess that would make him the prime suspect. The retired cop starts a velvet glove investigation he was famous for back east. The end may surprise you. Otto Preminger knows how to direct noir, & Andrews is very good in this one.

Drifter stumbles into a small town murder.......2006-09-13

Otto Preminger's deft directing and production crafted the hard boiled film noir "Fallen Angel", with the aid of an accomplished cast, into a genre classic. The film's murky, moody plot along with some typically dark cheerless black and white cinematography perfectly set the tenor of the film.

Penniless and scheming drifter Eric Stanton played masterfully by Dana Andrews disembarks from a Greyhound bus in the small seaside California town of Walton. Walking into the local diner, Pops, he is immediately smitten with sultry waitress Stella played by the alluring Linda Darnell. Darnell happens to be the amorous focus of most of the menfolk of the small town. Looking for a way out of town, she almost falls for the glib tongued Andrews' promises to marry and take care of her.

Andrews has also become acquainted with the upstanding Mills sisters June and Clara. Desperate for money to woo Darnell, Andrews with eyes on $25,000 of the Mills sisters inheritance, marries younger sister June played by Alice Faye. The plans immediately change when Darnell is found murdered and Andrews is implicated.

The investigation is headed by a tough, craggy Mr. Judd, a retired ex- New York cop played by Charles Bickford who is aiding the Walton chief of police. Bickford's brutal, kid gloved technique causes Andrews to flee the scene with the faithful Faye in tow.

Three and a Half Stars.......2006-09-06

This is one where you want the half-star option. This film is better than three stars, but not really a four. Fans of pulpy film noir will recognize many of the elements which make those movies what they are - down and out characters, seedy atmosphere, a murder . . . The story here is pretty average and not terribly compelling, and the plot twist at the end feels a little far-fetched. But what makes the movie watchable is the acting and dialogue. The best moments are the conversations between Eric Stanton -the drifter who wanders into a seaside town and winds up getting torn between the town's femme fatale diner waitress and one of its virginal well-off spinsters - and Stella, the head-strong waitress. Very watchable, but not unique enough to stand out very far from the pack.

"I got everything by talking fast in a world that goes for talking. And ended up with exactly nothing.".......2006-07-06

"Fallen Angel" is the second film that director Otto Preminger made with cinematographer Joseph LaShelle and actor Dana Andrews, the first being his 1944 masterpiece "Laura". This time Dana Andrews brings his deep voice and nuanced deadpan delivery to a film noir based on the novel by Marty Holland (who is actually Mary Holland), adapted by first-time screenwriter Harry Kleiner and photographed with Joseph LaShelle's spectacularly fluid camera. After an attention-grabbing credit sequence speeds down a dark road at night, Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews) gets off his bus before it reaches his destination. He ran out of bus fare. He finds himself in a small California coastal town, where an errant waitress named Stella (Linda Darnell) catches his eye. She's a tough-talking beauty coveted by every man she meets. But only the one who will marry her and give her a comfortable life will get her. Eric wants that to be that man, so he schemes to seduce money out of prim and proper June Mills (Alice Faye). But when Stella is murdered, circumstantial evidence points to Eric.

Dana Andrews was fantastically suited to film noir. Like Humphrey Bogart, he barely moved his facial muscles when he spoke but was able to deliver a layered performance without emoting. It's interesting to watch his face in "Fallen Angel", because so much of Eric Stanton is revealed in his forehead. It's an exercise in acting with fine muscles only. Unlike Humphrey Bogart, Andrews had an imposing speaking voice. He could deliver dialogue forcefully without raising his voice. Again, perfect for film noir. Three films that Andrews made with director Otto Preminger and cinematographer Joseph LaShelle are often classified as "film noir". One of them, the brilliant "Laura", is not film noir in my book. It's mystery/romance. The other, 1950's "Where the Sidewalk Ends", is often considered superior to "Fallen Angel" due to its psychological complexity. But I prefer "Fallen Angel" for its fantastic crane shots, its far more complex women, and its aggressive introduction to its protagonist, who gets off the bus and immediately starts conning the local conmen.

Credit is due Alice Faye for bringing depth to a character that could easily have been saccharine and two-dimensional. "Fallen Angel" was to be her dramatic comeback after her great success in musical roles. It didn't work out that way, because she felt that producer Darryl Zanuck had butchered her part so walked out on her contract. But I'm impressed with Faye's ability to convey subtle desperation underneath June Mills' sensible, uptight exterior. June is more terrified of ending up a spinster, like her sister, than she is of losing her money, her reputation, or marrying a swindler. And when it looks like her sympathy and loyalty will not hold her flimsy marriage together, she's distraught. But her comportment changes only once. She's a credible and sympathetic character, not just Eric Stanton's saving grace. "Fallen Angel" is a superb film noir, with a knock-out performance by Dana Andrews, a star-making appearance from Linda Darnell, a dramatic turn from Alice Faye, great supporting work all around, and a seamless, mobile camera from Otto Preminger and Joseph LaShelle.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2006): There are 3 photo galleries: A "Publicity Gallery" (20 posters and ads), a "Production Stills" gallery (49 photos), and a "Unit Photography" gallery" (38 behind-the-scenes photos). The theatrical trailer (2 1/2 min) is interesting in that it features a voice-over narration by Dana Andrews, a common technique in film noir, but one that is not featured in "Fallen Angel", except in the trailer. There is a good audio commentary by film noir historian Eddie Muller and Susan Andrews, who is Dana Andrews' daughter. Accordingly, there is a lot of discussion oft Dana Andrews, his career and many personal anecdotes, which is a nice addition to the commentary. Eddie Muller provides background on the actors and creative crew, as usual, and discusses Preminger's distinctive camera work, the long takes and mobile camera, the transitions, dialogue, censorship and themes. Subtitles are available for the film in English and Spanish.

Very entertaining film noir.......2006-06-09

I really enjoyed this movie, not just for the dark film noir so excellently directed by Otto Preminger and the acting skills of Dana Andrews, Charles Bickford, Linda Darnell et all. Those are a given. This film was filled with new things galore, and I love how the DVD features a commentary by Dana Andrews daughter and Eddie Muller explaining all the nuances and little quirks to be found in the movie. This is basically a movie about a con man who falls for a fallen woman (Darnell) and attempts to get this fallen woman by seducing a prim and proper virginal woman (Alice Faye) to get the money for it. Some have ridiculed some of the premise of this movie, but one has to remember this WAS made in 1945!!!
This movie also represents another fall, one in real life, of the great Alice Faye. I'm sure the story has become well known of how she quit Twentieth Century Fox over how her scenes were cut. I just found out from the commentary that she had a scene where she sang the theme song! That should have been in the movie and the DVD, sure love to see that. For Alice was first and foremost a vocalist, she could make you feel the words of a song by her emoting and facial expressions along with her lovely lovely contralto. She was a treasure, and it's sad to know this movie, however entertaining, caused her to leave the business for so long. Although it was her first true dramatic role Alice in no way could be said to be a great actress because of this role, but I felt she held her own.
Dana Andrews is a master, and as some have said the chemistry between he and Linda Darnell's character is palpable. The feel, the interplay between the characters and the small town feel of the setting gives this movie that dark mysterious attraction of a true noir, and as the plot unfolds and reaches a surprising climax resulting in the "fallen angel" of the title, I don't see how a true film buff could not be entertained!

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Getting snobbery out of wine drinking.
informative, but not too much
Still a bit confused
Improve your knowledge and appreciation of wine

John Cleese - Wine for the Confused
Starring: John Cleese , and Alice Faye Eichelberger
Director: David Kennard
Manufacturer: KOCH VISION
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

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

( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mondovino
Jancis Robinson's Wine Course
Tales from the Vineyard - First Taste
Understanding Wine
Wine Noir

ASIN: B0009NZ6P2
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Amazon.com

Monty Python alums have made good second careers hosting documentary programs, such as Terry Jones's Crusades. Now John Cleese turns his attention to the subject of wine in Wine for the Confused, originally broadcast as a special on Food Network. <table align=left cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" > <tr><td align="center"> <img src="http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/aplus/cleese/cleese.jpg" border=0 align=top>
Listen to our interview with John Cleese. </td></tr> </table>

"Don't let anyone ever try to tell you what wine you like, because people have different tastes and we shall honor that," he heralds at the start. The point of the program is clear and simple: to help you find and describe wines you like; to show how to buy wines at a good value; and to provide tips on how to get the most enjoyment from the wines you do buy. With this attitude, his considerable charm, and his gentle wit, Cleese is the perfect host for this material, and right off the bat he strikes just the right tone--instructive, but light-hearted. The result is delightful.

First covered are the six major varieties of wine-producing grapes (first the whites, then the reds, just as at a tasting), the fermentation process, and tasting notes to help you learn what you like and how to describe it ("Quality should be judged by your own taste."). Next is "Buying Wine." Now that you know what you like, learn how to find it at a good value for the money. Finally there is "Storing and Serving Wine," with simple tips for savoring your purchase.

Novice wine lovers will find Wine for the Confused helpful and reassuring as well as inspirational; don't be surprised if you find yourself turning off the DVD and heading straight to the wine shop with newfound confidence... and that's just what Cleese would want for you. --Dan Vancini

Raise a Glass with John Cleese <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4"> <tr align="center" valign="top" class="tiny"> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009XRZ92.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Monty Python Store</td> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005LC1H.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Starring John Cleese</td> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009Y8JG4.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Life after Monty Python</td> </tr> <tr align="center" valign="top" class="tiny"> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007TKOAA.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Wine on DVD and Beyond</td> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002TU5PE.01-A1JZ1QEWZVY55B.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Wine Accessories</td> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://a21.g.akamai.net/f/21/923/1h/www.wine.com/labels/528m.jpg" border="0">
Why watch wine when you can drink it?</td> </tr> </table>

Description

Wine is confusing…overwhelming even. So where do you start if you want to learn more about it? Join John Cleese on an entertaining and personal look at the world of winemaking and discover: how to find wines that taste good to you, how to make sure you get the best value and how to keep and serve wine at home.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-03-31

The John Cleese name made me think this would be witty and informative. It was neither. He does make one good point - that people often are intimidated into feeling they "should" like something expensive, which needn't be the case. If you need convincing on that point then buy & watch, otherwise save your money.

Getting snobbery out of wine drinking........2007-03-02

For those that love John Cleese, you will be twice pleased, as this is also a serious hour of fun education on wines. This was broadcast as a special on the Food Network chanel. I bought this dvd to loan to friends that never got to enjoy the special on tv.

informative, but not too much.......2007-01-30

Wine for the Confused with John Cleese is a very informative video. The information is very basic and useful. It doesn't go too far into detail to the point where the audience is lost and confused, helping them loosen up about the topic of wine and accepting the art of winemaking and drinking. Cleese gives tips about how wine is made, how to describe wine and decide which wine is good, how wine is priced and the proper way to drink wine. For example, he goes to several different vineyards and discusses the variations between Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, which are the six main types of grapes that wine is made from, three red and three white, which happen to be the most important factor in the taste and presentation of wine. He also enlightens the audience about how different lengths and forms of fermentation produce unique tastes. Cleese then goes on to give details on how the taste of wine can then be described using words such as light, heavy, sweet, dry, fruity, spicy, crisp, and fresh. Everything is concise and descriptive, helping you to follow the video easily and effectively. It is a very appealing video because the study of wine and winemaking is an actual interest of John Cleese, therefore making the documentation more intriguing and attention-grabbing. Cleese also provides humor throughout the video with his foolish jokes that are so silly they are funny. A few times the video cuts off randomly and picks up at different settings, but it's all because of editing and such and, in my opinion, absolutely does not take away from the abundance of information. Overall, the video is a very cheesy, but good, one which I strongly recommend to anyone who wants to know the basic information behind winemaking, tastes associated with wine, and the pricing of wine. It is full of a good amount of useful information that is easy to absorb and remember without overdoing it to the point of confusion and boredom. It's short and simple to the point with a host who has a great personality and funny sense of humor. Watch this movie and you will learn oodles of information about wine that you never even knew existed and remember: "Don't let anyone tell you which wine you should like," one of Cleese's favorite mottos. Relax about drinking wine and enjoy it for what it's really worth!

Still a bit confused.......2007-01-22

If your experience with wine is such that you can tell the difference between a red and a white wine then this DVD will be quite useful. If you are beyond that level then it may still provide some useful insights but you may not feel that it was worth the expense.

Improve your knowledge and appreciation of wine.......2007-01-12

John Cleese's low-budget film on wines and wine-making is both amusing and educational. "Don't let anyone tell you which wine you should like" is one of Cleese's key messages. Wine-makers in the Santa Barbara region talk to Cleese about the characteristics of their wines including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling. Cleese also talks to others in the wine business about prices ("would you like an expensive wine better than an inexpensive one?"). In blind wine-tasting tests with friends he shows that liking a wine has nothing to do with the price and that people cannot necessarily differentiate a white from a red wine by taste alone. I've watched this film several times among family and friends all of whom loved it.

Average customer rating:

Once again, Fox blows it
Gangs of New York
A perfect example
Disappointing transfer
Fabulous Busby Berkely musical

The Gang's All Here
Starring: Alice Faye , Carmen Miranda , Phil Baker , Benny Goodman , and Benny Goodman Orchestra
Director: Busby Berkeley
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

That Night in Rio
Week-End in Havana
Down Argentine Way
Best Foot Forward
Lillian Russell

ASIN: B000K7VHN2
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Here's one of Hollywood's great excursions into surrealism: The Gang's All Here, the legendarily over-the-top wartime musical. Director Busby Berkeley threw every demented idea that every swirled out of his teeming brain into this madcap affair, and decades later the film was still wowing 'em as a campy jaw-dropper.

The plot is the nonsensical stuff of homefront musicals, with chorus girl Alice Faye waiting for soldier boy James Ellison to return from the war, little knowing he is engaged to another woman. But the real point here is the crazy production design and the flabbergasting numbers--most famously, Carmen Miranda's "The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat," which includes a chorus line of women dancing while holding giant bananas over their heads. It might have been dreamed up by Salvador Dali after an acid trip. Alice gets her due with the equally crazy "Polka-Dot Polka," and Benny Goodman and his orchestra are also around. So are such reliable second bananas (you should excuse the expression) as Edward Everett Horton and high-kicking Charlotte Greenwood.

The DVD extras include a 20-minute documentary on Berkeley's peculiar art, plus a charming 25-promotional film featuring Alice Faye reminiscing about her old pictures and extolling the virtues of physical fitness (made for the Pfizer drug company while Faye was their spokesperson). A deleted comedy scene and two episodes from the long-running radio show Faye did with husband Phil Harris are also included. The print itself is a source of controversy; the colors lack the "pop" of the original Technicolor, and the film looks dimmer and vaguer than its original glory. Here's hoping a cleaner, fuller version will emerge. --Robert Horton

Description

Her girl-next-door looks combined with a sultry singing voice made Alice Faye one of Hollywood's biggest stars in the Golden Age of Cinema. Eadie Allen (Alice Faye) is a chorus girl who dreams of becoming a star. While working at a New York nightclub, she meets Sergeant Andy Mason (James Ellison); they fall in love but he is shipped off to war. As Eadie becomes the headliner at the nightclub, Andy comes home a war hero. But complications arise when Eadie finds out Andy is unofficially engaged to another woman. It's up to Eadie's friend and nightclub co-star Dorita (Carmen Miranda) to set things straight. The Gang's All Here is filled with leggy chorus dancers and lavish musical production numbers including Faye's flashy neon finale "The Polka Dot Polka."

Customer Reviews:

Once again, Fox blows it.......2007-05-14

After years of waiting for this DVD, we're given a poor transfer, just like with "Oklahoma." What is wrong with Fox? Be prepared to really jack up the color on your monitor if you want to watch this film. In the restoration featurette, you can clearly see that the 94 transfer is better - couldn't Fox see that?! Wake up, people! What a bummer...

Gangs of New York.......2007-04-28

I suppose I will be kicked out of the international brotherhood of camp fans, but I have to say it, THE GANG'S ALL HERE is far from being the ne plus ultra of Busby Berkeley extravagance, or even fun. It had its vogue in the 1960s, when it played in a midtown New York movie theater for four months to sellout crowds, and it has its admirers today, but for me, I can take it or leave it.

That is, except for Alice Faye who looks beautiful in nearly every closeup and who sings a couple of wonderful songs, especially "A Journey to a Star," in that low husky, actually freakish voice of hers. What was going on behind the scenes I wonder? Why did she quit making musicals after completing this? It was a national tragedy! Was it she was weary of uphill sledding having to play opposite such goodlooking nothings as James Ellison, who plays Andy Mason here as though he had never seen a girl or even walked on a floor before. There's an extended bit of business in which Alice Faye and Sheila Ryan, playing her rich girl rival, keep swiping back and forth a glamor photo of Andy, and putting it proudly in their own bedrooms. Well, James Ellison does better acting in the photo than he does in the actual rest of the picture. And Sheila Ryan is like Ann Miller without the personality.

The movie may be slightly overstuffed, and I could have done without Phil Baker (as himself, and that means, as "who"?) and also Benny Goodman, he's great but he leaves no lasting impression in the movie. It's hard to believe that Greenwood, Miranda, and Faye all mixed up together could produce such a blah result, but they are given nothing to do together and Greenwood, in particular, looks squelched trying to play an impossible part where she hardly gets to kick up her heels in her signature high splits but once or twice. The "Apash" dance she performs is just awful; it's supposed to be funny, true, but the Apaches should have sued for defamation. The problem with the movie is the two incredibly stupid plots (or three, I guess). Edward Everett Horton trying to conceal from his wife his interest in Carmen Miranda--right. James Ellison forgetting that he's engaged, no matter how ritualistically, to Sheila Ryan, when he meets and woos Alice Faye. No matter how they try to explain it, he still comes off as a dirtbag--or a cad, to use 40s Fox terms. And the horrid story of show business in the blood of Charlotte Greenwood and her daughter, it's more gruesome than you can possibly imagine.

Some fans say, well, the plot is just an excuse for those elaborate, Freudian, nutty surreal Berkeley numbers. And they are pretty great (except in the new transfer nearly every number looks blah and bleak). The Polka Dot Dance is crazy, isn't it. Alice Faye stands in front of a ballroom filled with waltzing pairs of little kids, and claims that the polka as a dance is dead, but the polka dot will never die.

A perfect example.......2007-03-25

THE GANGS ALL HERE is a perfect example of a 1st Class musical film of the 40's. Busby Berkley pulled all the stops out when he directed this classic. The extras this DVD is a great insight into the making of these wonderful films.
I must congratulate UCLA film archives for resurrecting films such as these, to show this generation how it was all done.

Disappointing transfer.......2007-03-15

I reluctantly agree with the early comments about the poor quality of the transfer. I own the laserdisk version of this film; it is an extraordinary record of 1940's Technicolor: bright and vibrant. The DVD is a pale comparison.

Amazingly, the DVD has a side by side comparison of a 1994 version of the film, and the current, "restored" version. This is where the "before" is miles better than the "after." It looks as though Fox considers getting rid of some specks here and there as representing a full restoration. At Warner, the efforts with Gone With The Wind, Singing in the Rain, Wizard of Oz, etc. have shown that it is possible to get a sharp, clear, colorful result that is arguably better than the original prints. Perhaps this film does not rate as much restorative an effort, but it would have been nice to see, at the very least, as nice a transfer as the earlier laser.

Fabulous Busby Berkely musical.......2007-03-14

This musical is surreal from start to finish..it has the most lurid colors you'll ever see in a musical. Alas, the DVD transfer is not good, keep those copies you made from the Fox Movie channel!

However, if you adjust the color on your set to high, and fool with the HUE button, and the Brightness button, you will have the return of the colorful magic of this wild and crazy film.

Miranda and Faye are drenched in pastels and sing songs that are beyond the realm of fantasy when the color is added..Also, Charlotte Greenwood, with those swinging long legs is on hand to dance by the pool with a young dancer and it's almost like a merrie melodie..so cartoonish, but they are people!

Busby Berkely was known for making humans do the inhuman, and he does it here all the time, and so you have an uncommon film of stars immersing themselves into this tutti frutti technicolor bath with wild abandon.

Also, notice that camera rock and roll, unintentionally I am sure, as it pans all over the place, sometimes with no point of view or even good focus. In the opening the camera cannot stay still..Berkely often took over the camera, and it seems that here there was squabbling going on between him and the cinematograher.

This is also Alice Faye's last film for Fox, until that camp State Fair of 1962 with Ann-Margaret. It is a hell of send off, but the confusion, the color, the shots that needed to be re shot and are not, make it allunique in all of cinema musical history.

Remember, keep your tapes, but work with the color, hue and brightness, and watch the film as it was made, IN COLOR times a million.

Average customer rating:

Fox tries for a San Francisco of its own
Great Classic
Lots Of History & Plenty Of Intrigue!
one of the all-time greats!
Now That's Entertainment!

In Old Chicago
Starring: Tyrone Power , Alice Faye , Don Ameche , Alice Brady , and Andy Devine
Director: Henry King
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Alexander's Ragtime Band
The Rains Came
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
The Razor's Edge
The Black Swan

ASIN: B0009NZ2NS
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Amazon.com

In Old Chicago was 20th Century Fox's grandest production of 1938, and it's still worthy of classic status. Along with MGM's 1936 earthquake drama San Fracisco, it ranks among the finest of the early disaster films, and the climactic depiction of the great Chicago fire of 1871 is still impressive, with some shots that are just as amazing as the digitally rendered disaster effects of present-day Hollywood. It's a highly fictionalized account of the O'Leary family, whose legendary milk-cow kicked over the lamp that set Chicago ablaze, and the teaming of Tyrone Power, Don Ameche, and Alice Faye (as O'Leary brothers Dion and Jack, and Jack's showgirl wife Belle) proved so popular that they were reunited, along with director Henry King, in Darryl F. Zanuck's follow-up production of Alexander's Ragtime Band. They lead a lively cast (including Andy Devine and Brian Donlevy) that delivers all the entertainment value that Zanuck could muster, focusing on the rivalry between Jack and Dion as they clash over their political ambitions and future plans for "The Patch," the beloved Chicago slum district in which they were raised. Their mother (played by Alice Brady in an Oscar®-winning performance) struggles to hold her brood together, and the sibling rivalry reaches a fever pitch just as the city's about to go up in flames. Along the way we're treated to Faye's silky-smooth performances of vintage show tunes (like the title song), and movie buffs will appreciate the early appearance of Rondo Hatton, a bit player who suffered from acromegaly, a deforming pituitary condition (similar to gigantism) that caused him to have one of the most unique faces in the history of movies. --Jeff Shannon

Description

In Old Chicago stars Don Ameche and Tyrone Power as two sons of the infamous Margaret O'Leary, whose ill-fated cow started the 1871 inferno that brought the entire city of Chicago to ruin. The brothers grow up on opposite sides od the law and their fraternal struggle reaches an incendiary crescendo mimicked by the flames that engulf the city.

Customer Reviews:

Fox tries for a San Francisco of its own.......2007-05-29

After years of being only available in a cut 94-minute version, this Fox Classics DVD includes both that and the original roadshow version - with interesting results. In its uncut 110-minute roadshow version, In Old Chicago plays like an even more obvious ripoff of San Francisco, merely substituting Tyrone Power, Don Ameche, Alice Faye and the Chicago fire for Clark Gable, Spencer Tracey, Jeanette MacDonald and the San Francisco earthquake and adding more twee Oirish antics than are healthy. The musical numbers are a step down too, particularly Faye's rendition of Carry Me Back to Old Virginny complete with `massa' lyrics, and the finale isn't as grand on screen as it is in your memory: the scenes of the crowds of refugees on the banks tend to be far more effective than the backlot chaos. Still, any film that features Rondo Hatton can't be all bad, but it's easy to see why Zanuck ordered the film trimmed.

The transfer is good, with a Biography Channel documentary on Don Ameche and 4 newsreel extracts the only extras.

Great Classic.......2007-05-12

This was Eddie Collins major film debut and he almost stole the show. Many of his bits ended up on the floor as he was funnier than the main actors.

Lots Of History & Plenty Of Intrigue!.......2007-05-11

This story has skillfully woven into it lots of historical information, as well as romance, competition, intrigue, and action. As a fan of Tyrone Power, I am comfortable recommending this DVD to others who have an appreciation for classic movies...

one of the all-time greats!.......2007-04-20

With more than a passing nod to M-G-M's blockbuster smash of 1936 "San Francisco", IN OLD CHICAGO details the events leading up to the famous fire of 1871. Twentieth Century-Fox assembled three of their most bankable stars of 1939 (following their roles in "Alexander's Ragtime Band" the previous year) for this historical romp, and the production values were lavish (highlighted by the climactic and harrowing 20-minute sequence of the fire itself, which required it's very own film and production unit).

The O'Leary boys, Dion (Tyrone Power) and Jack (Don Ameche) make and break their fortunes in the bustling city of Chicago. Good boy Jack plays fair and settles for whatever he can get; while Dion fights, cajoles and charms his way to the top. Alice Faye plays Dion's beautiful wife, saloon singer Belle Fawcett. Alice Brady turns in an Oscar-winning performance as Mrs O'Leary, whose cow unwittingly sets the fire in motion.

Alice Faye dazzles in her sparkling costumes and gowns (designed by Royer), and sings a selection of period numbers. Tyrone Power is as handsome as always; and the supporting cast includes Phyllis Brooks, Brian Donlevy, Tom Brown, and Sidney Blackmer. Based on the novel "We the O'Learys'" by Niven Busch.

Now That's Entertainment!.......2007-02-12

They really do not make movies like this wonderful classic anymore. Fine lead performances from handsome Tyrone Power, beautiful Alice Faye and debonair Don Ameche. Hearing the gorgeous Ms. Faye sing my state song "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" is well worth the price of this dvd alone. It was an old slave song which because of our politically correct era was revised (lyrics were eliminated since it was written & sung from a slave's viewpoint). The original lyrics are sung here. In her talented hands, this is still a patriotic & beautiful song showcasing the Old Dominion State. Only Ms. Faye could as a marvelous entertainer sing this song with original lyrics and I do not think anyone would be offended even today.
The print & sound quality of this dvd is excellent. The special effects showing the fire that swept through Chicago are visually outstanding. It's as fine as the fire that engulfed Atlanta in "Gone With The Wind". However, my favorite actress is the wonderful actress that portrays Mrs. O'Leary, a hardworking and honorable lady who exemplifies dignity regardless of the tragedies that befall her family. A terrific portrait of a loving & brawling Irish-American family. Good movie if you have children.

Average customer rating:

Alexander's - still a great musical entertainment 69 years on
Another Faye, Ameche, and Power classic
Alexander's Ragtime Band...or is it Alec's? No, Alex's...wait, it's Roger's...right???
Irving Berling at His Best!
Alexander's Ragtime Band

Alexander's Ragtime Band
Starring: Tyrone Power , Alice Faye , Don Ameche , Ethel Merman , and Jack Haley
Director: Henry King
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

In Old Chicago
The Rains Came
Week-End in Havana
The Razor's Edge
Call Me Madam

ASIN: B0002B15RE
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

The jaunty rhythms of Irving Berlin drive Alexander's Ragtime Band, an epic musical from 1938 that follows the up-and-down romance of a young bandleader (Tyrone Power, Witness for the Prosecution) and the singer he loves (Alice Faye, Tin Pan Alley) over decades. Their journey from a San Francisco honky-tonk to mass popularity is marked by classic songs like "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning," "Blue Skies," "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," "Easter Parade," and the title track. Power and Faye are a little bland, but the supporting cast--including Don Ameche (Midnight), Jack Haley (the Tin Woodsman from The Wizard of Oz), and a very young Ethel Merman--give the movie some real personality, as do a few wild dance numbers. At the end, the movie becomes surprisingly suspenseful and even a little touching. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Tyrone Power stars in this "must-see" (TV Giude) film as a free thinking classical musician who wants the world to dance to a different beat. Set in the early 1900's this extravaganza of music, story and romance follows the highs and lows in the life of Roger Grant, a high-brow-born San Franciscan who changes his name to Alexander and conducts a band with a whole new sound - Swing! And just as Grant meets with musical successes and failures, he smolders and is occasionally scorched by Stella Kirby (Alice Faye), his lead singer. Also featuring the delightful Don Ameche as Grant's romantic competitor, a wonderfully comic Jack Haley and then newcomer Ethel Merman, this musical treasure is a perfect addition to any collection of film classics.

Customer Reviews:

Alexander's - still a great musical entertainment 69 years on.......2007-06-07

Alexander's Ragtime Band was a huge production for 20th Century Fox in 1938 and it still looks it all these years later. It it incredibly musical , packed full of songs and is extremely dramatic and touching - it is still highly entertaining and Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Don Ameche & Ethel Merman do some of their very best screen work in this film.
It also boast an excellent supporting cast and Paul Hurst and David Carradine to name but two are great. This film has been giving me a lump in my throat since I first saw it on BBC Two in the late 1960 's ( it was the first Fox film shown on British television ) and the taxi cab scene towards the end still gets me. It is a wonderul example of "everything" coming together in a movie and delivering and although it is probably corny by today's standards I wish there were more movies like it.
This film knocks so many raved about musicals off the list - it is unpretentious , entertaining and incredibly touching.
Thank goodnes it finally made it to DVd - not the best transfer but the negative for ARB is worn as Fox forever used it to reprint from over 30 years. The extras are good - original trailer is great as is the newsreel of the London premiere with Gracie Fields .

Another Faye, Ameche, and Power classic.......2007-05-12

This trio teams up again, as In Old Chicago and Sally, Irene, and Mary, for a great old movie classic. Vaudville comedian Eddie Collins appears in all three. In this film, he plays Corporal Collins in the army barracks scene, wrestling with his t-shirt.

Alexander's Ragtime Band...or is it Alec's? No, Alex's...wait, it's Roger's...right???.......2007-04-12

I love this movie. I have never thought that Fox musicals were all that great (you want GOOD musicals, you go to MGM) but I love them because they usually have very enjoyable stories and acting. ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND is no exception. The actors are great, the story is great, the sets are beautiful, and you just CAN'T beat that Irving Berlin music score. Tyrone Power is this guy who is starting a band, and he encounters Alice Faye in a bar by accident, because he stole her sheet music. And then she joins his band as a singer, and they eventually fall in love, despite their early arguments. Only the piano player of the band (Don Ameche) is already in love with her. Just read the summary on the back of the DVD. The extras on this DVD are great. There are deleted scenes, an A&E documentary of Alice Faye's life, the original theatrical trailer, and much, much more. I thought the picture quality was great! I didn't notice any scratches on the print, or white blobby faces or static or anything. I have yet to see a classic Fox movie with perfect picture quality, anyways. This is a really great DVD. I reccomend buying it and the movie is superb. However, if you can't stand Ethel Merman, just skip over her musical numbers, and you really won't miss much of the story. They're nice numbers, though. I think Ethel Merman's great!

And here are some other great musicals of the Golden Age that I HIGHLY reccomend!!

1.Hello Frisco Hello

2.Born to Dance

3.Kid Millions

4.My Lucky Star

5.Broadway Melody of 1936 - My very favorite movie and a musical you're sure to love!

Irving Berling at His Best!.......2007-02-12

I'll keep my review brief. I'm not sure what the previous reviewers were referring to in regards to picture & sound quality. Both are excellent and most likely transferred from first generation master tape. The music and singing are terrific. An appearance from a young Ethel Merman was a great surprise. Tyrone Power is as charming & handsome as ever. Beautiful Alice Faye is in fine vocal form with several classic songs. Don Ameche is as suave & debonair as always. A nice romantic triangle between the three keeps the plot and songs moving along at a good pace. I think this is Ms. Faye's finest performance next to "In Old Chicago", in which she wowed me by singing my state song "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny." A great family movie showcasing the amazing Irving Berlin's talent.

Alexander's Ragtime Band.......2007-01-15

I ordered this for a friend and she really likes it. She has watched it several times since receiving it.

Average customer rating:

Rhumba, romance, and chintzy painted backdrops
WEEK-END IN HAVANA
Week End in Havana
HAPPY HOLLYWOOD MUSICAL
It's Just A Fun Film And There's Nothing Wrong With That!

Week-End in Havana
Starring: Alice Faye , Carmen Miranda , John Payne , Cesar Romero , and Cobina Wright
Director: Walter Lang
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Pin-Up Girl
Down Argentine Way
Betty Grable Collection, Vol. 1 (My Blue Heaven / The Dolly Sisters / Moon Over Miami / Down Argentine Way)
Daddy Long Legs
The Alice Faye Collection (That Night in Rio / Lillian Russell / On the Avenue / The Gang's All Here)

ASIN: B000BZISUI
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Description

A salesgirl (Alice Faye) threatens to cause trouble when cruise ship runs aground and vacation is ruined. As compensation, she soon gets a free first class Havana holiday with the ship owner's future son-in-law (John Payne) as wall as some unexpected attention from a conniving gambler (Cesar Romero) and his girlfriend (Carmen Miranda).

Customer Reviews:

Rhumba, romance, and chintzy painted backdrops.......2007-02-17

All Alice Faye has to do is sing in her gorgeous full contralto (that is almost a baritone) and you immediately can see why she was 20th-Century Fox's biggest star during the war years: here she transforms a dull song like "Rhumba and Romance" into a little masterpiece while dancing with Cesar Romero and really kicking back. While skimpy, the plot of this very typical Fox musical is fairly efficient: Faye, a Macy's shopgirl, is the last holdout to sign off for liability when her cruise ship runs aground on a sand bar, so an executive of the cruise line (John Payne) has to squire her around Havana to make sure she has a good time. Along the way they run into an incompetent gigolo (Romero) and his spitfire girlfriend (Carmen Miranda, of course, since Brazil and Cuba were considered pretty interchangeable in the minds of 40s America). The costumes by Gwen Wakeling are quite eyecatching, and the lovedly and unusual model Cobana Wright, Jr., plays Faye's rival, and John Payne is at least very handsome; unfortunately the sets and backdrops are pretty chintzy,as was often per usual with Fox, and the songs by Mack Gordon are instantly forgettable. The only thing to really lift this above mediocrity is Faye, who is not much of an actress (though she does have fun with a New York accent), but who sings like a dream.

WEEK-END IN HAVANA.......2007-01-11

THIS MOVIE TAKES ME TO A TIME BEFORE I WAS. ITS A PIECE OF HISTORY AND A LEARNING TOOL.

Week End in Havana.......2006-11-10

Excellent reproduction on DVD - colour is great. Reasonable story line and acting

HAPPY HOLLYWOOD MUSICAL.......2006-09-15

This movie takes you back to the days when Hollywood made Big Bright Splashy Wonderful Musicals! I doubt if these types of films could even be made today because of the costs of creating these colorful huge sets! Yes its a little corny but whats wrong with that? A more innocent time (dont we wish we were still innocent? )when kissing was considered Fantastic!

It's Just A Fun Film And There's Nothing Wrong With That!.......2006-06-17

No WEEKEND IN HAVANA is not one of Hollywood's greatest efforts. And no, this Twentieth Century Fox release can't be compared to the musicals of MGM that were released at the same time. Still, it's one of those time period films that you can't help but enjoy.

John Payne is Jay Williams, a cruise ship executive, soon to be married and engaged to the boss' daughter (Terry McCracken played by Cobina Wright). Days before the wedding one of the company's cruise ships malfunctions and Jay is sent to placate the customers. He's able to make everyone happy except Nan Spencer, the Macy's salesgirl who has saved every last penny for the trip. To make her happy, he arranges for a trip to Havana and surprise: the two fall in love! Of course there are a number of twists and turns but we know they'll get together and we don't feel all that sorry for the boss' daughter. early in the story we know we're not supposed to like her. Viewers meet the hot Cuban singer/dancer Rosita Rivas performed by Carmen Miranda in all her glory and the lovable cad Monte Blanca played by Cesar Romero.

Part of the reason I love this film is it's just fun. The plot line is not complicated and we believe that a story that could easily be tawdry is innocent. The musical numbers may not be as well constructed as rival MGM would have done with the same story, but they still have an irresistible quality. Since most viewers will probably purchase the DVD to enjoy and not to over analyze, a corny story that can at times be a bit zany with musical numbers that are just enjoyable is great entertainment and WEEKEND IN HAVANA will be at home in any such collection.

Average customer rating:

That Night in Rio
Overdone but entertaining
THAT NIGHT IN RIO (1941)

That Night in Rio
Starring: Alice Faye , Don Ameche , Carmen Miranda , S.Z. Sakall , and J. Carrol Naish
Director: Irving Cummings
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Gang's All Here
Down Argentine Way
Week-End in Havana
Lillian Russell
Moon Over Miami

ASIN: B000K7VHNM
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

"It don't make sense, the chica chica boom chic. But it's immense, the chica chica boom chic." Let us pause to ponder the immortal wisdom of these words, sung by Carmen Miranda in That Night in Rio, and then move swiftly