Dolores Del Rio

Average customer rating:

uggg! terrible movie!
Cheyenne Autumn
Uneven, disjointed, but worth watching...
John Ford's Epic Tribute to the American Indian
Ford Trying to Milk a Dead Cow

Cheyenne Autumn
Starring: Richard Widmark , Carroll Baker , Karl Malden , Sal Mineo , and Dolores del Rio
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Broken Arrow
The Last Wagon
White Feather
Sergeant Rutledge - Authentic Region 1 DVD from Warner Brothers starring Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Towers, Billie Burke & Directed by JOHN FORD
The Naked Spur

ASIN: B000G6N0HI
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Product Description

Release Date: June 6th, 2006.

Amazon.com

Cheyenne Autumn is a beautiful title to grace John Ford's final Western, an earnest attempt at long last to "tell the story from the Indians' point of view." The film has moments of grandeur, thanks especially to William H. Clothier's majestic Technicolor compositions--restored to their proper Panavision dimensions on the DVD release--and moments of graceful action thanks to that peerless horseman, Ben Johnson. In other respects, the film falls short of the occasion. Ford is unambiguously supportive of the Cheyennes' resolve to bolt their assigned reservation in the desert Southwest and trek north to their ancestral lands. By emphatic contrast, most of white society, the military, the bureaucracy, and the sensationalist press are portrayed as insensitive, foolish, or downright hateful. Unfortunately, the Cheyenne are nobly wooden and, apart from some Navajo extras, played by non-Indians: Ricardo Montalban, Gilbert Roland, Sal Mineo, Victor Jory (who's pretty magnificent, actually), and Dolores Del Rio (who's breathtakingly beautiful as ever). As for point of view, it's sympathetic cavalry officer Richard Widmark and Quaker missionary Carroll Baker through whose eyes most of the epic narrative unfolds. A scabrous Dodge City interlude in midfilm, featuring James Stewart as a thoroughly disreputable Wyatt Earp (as opposed to the noble figure Henry Fonda played in My Darling Clementine), was chopped in half after the New York roadshow opening in 1964; it's all there on the DVD. Add to the list of sympathetic whites U.S. Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz, played by Edward G. Robinson, who replaced an ailing Spencer Tracy. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

uggg! terrible movie!.......2007-05-21

historically inacurate. about only thing correct are the names of the 2 chiefs and also they had horses. not much else is correct. they bolted from the reservation area in Oklahoma, near fort reno, not the desert sw?? also contained unneeded silliness with James Stewart's segment as the marshall of dodge city ks.

Cheyenne Autumn.......2007-05-12

This is a different kind of western. A film that was very brave at the time it was made, as it was a pro indian movie. It has the story of a proud race of people who are native indian who lost their lands to the White man and were double crossed on every peace treaty made .It has the story of white people seeing injustice and betrayal of the indian people and treid to do the right thing for the indians.
Against the backdrop of the magnificent desert scenery and a proud race forced to fight to survive and to get justice.
A truly great epic of a western.

Uneven, disjointed, but worth watching..........2007-02-10

This is John Ford's last Western, and a film in which he tries to make amends for (in some films) his rather shabby treatment of Native Americans. It is not a typical Ford Western, though. Yes, it's filmed in Monumental Valley, and it boasts some of the greatest cinemtography ever in a Ford film. Yet, it seems rambling, even disjointed at times. It is Ford's longest work (clocking in at, for Ford at least, a long 158 minutes), and it feels like it could have used a little editing. There isn't much humour in it, except for the Dodge City episode, which is awkwardly inserted into the middle of the film. It really seems out of place because the rest of the film is very serious with very little comic relief included. But the episode itself is actually one of Ford's funniest scenes EVER. The banter between James Stewart, Burt Kennedy, John Carradine, and Elizabeth Allen is hilarious. The scene was originally cut out of the initial theatrical version, but then later restored for VHS/DVD releases. Ford seems to be trying something new here, but just not getting it right. This film is missing the poetry that is in many of his other Westerns. The film comes across as rather preachy, ponderous, and lumbering (even though the subject matter is definitely important). Tag Gallagher's book on Ford, he states that Ford wanted to cast actual Native Americans in the roles of Montalban, Mineo, and Roland, treating them like a Greek Chorus unable to communicate with the whites. This idea was rejected by the producers of the film. He reportedly didn't care for Alex North's score, either. Ford films always had a more traditional, folk tinged score that was used sparingly throughout his films. North's score underscores almost every scene, here. It is nice, however, to see this film widescreen. Before, it was only available in wretched, pan and scan versions, which absolutely butchered Ford's compositions. Here we get to see the spectacular photography by William Clothier, who shot this film in 70mm. Ford only completed one more feature film after this (the underrated Seven Women), and this ended up being his final Western. It's worth watching, for sure (especially if you're a Ford admirer), but it is not one of his better films.

John Ford's Epic Tribute to the American Indian.......2007-02-09

I always liked this film even though the press reviews and its viewer acceptance were mixed. John Ford uses familiar locations to tell his story. The cast is solid even though Richard Widmark does not have the presence or charisma of John Wayne, Ford's usual leading man. This is a well intentioned film just the same.

To the contrary of critical opinion, I enjoyed the Dodge City sequence with Arthur Kennedy as Doc Holliday and James Stewart as Wyatt Earp. Some say it does not fit the serious and solemn tone of the rest of the film. That is true to some extent, but the juxtaposition of cinematic styles acts to bring attention to the Indian's plight. The outrageous and bawdy nature of the Dodge City sequence shows that the imported eastern notions of a superior and sophisticated transplanted European civilization are not sophisticated at all. They bring chaos rather than harmony to the land on their Westward expansion.

In another scene, Karl Malden's performance as Capt. Oskar Wessels is over the top, yet his foreign accent and the fort he commands stand as a metaphor for the Nazi concentration camps of WWII. Sean McClory as Dr. O'Carberry brings stability and compassion to this awkward scene.

It was good to Patrick Wayne on hand and many of Ford's troupe of actors including Ken Curtis, John Carradine, Danny Borzage, Chuck Hayward, Mae Marsh, Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr.

Mike Mazurki's soliloquy to Richard Widmark on the insignificance and effectives of his role as Sr. First Sergeant in the infantry is memorable and touching.

William H. Clothier's cinematography is beautiful leaving one with an impressionistic idea of the Indians' eternal tie to the land.

I read where Ford was not pleases with Alex North's score but perhaps North's score ushered in the deathknell of the American Western as CHEYENNE AUTUMN was certainly one of the last great films of the genre.

Ford Trying to Milk a Dead Cow.......2007-01-19

Ford goes to the well with all his familiar tools (Monument Valley, U.S. Calvary, Indian Wars, etc.) and comes back dry, to put it nicely.

Great cast- Widmark, Mauldin, Stewart, Robinson, etc labor through an abominable script with the intellectual depth of a deodorant commercial.

At its best, it is flat, contrived and silly and at it worst it is unnecessarily stupid- Latinos and Italians with five o'clock shadow playing Native Americans. Give me a break.

Average customer rating:

Western with a difference
Flaming Star
Surprisingly good movie and performance
Only film that they let him 'act' instead of alot of singing
Flaming Star is not just a great Elvis movie

Flaming Star
Starring: Elvis Presley , Steve Forrest , Barbara Eden , Dolores del Rio , and John McIntire
Director: Don Siegel
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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Wild in the Country
Love Me Tender
Change of Habit
Follow That Dream
King Creole

ASIN: B000068TQ5
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Amazon.com

Definitely a contender for the underwhelming title of Best Elvis Movie, this handsomely shot Western actually makes Elvis act, rather than coast on his personality. (As though to underscore the point, the two obligatory songs are dispensed with under the opening credits and in the first scene.) Don Siegel was probably the best director the King ever worked with, and he draws a quietly smoldering performance from Elvis, who was still undeniably raw. Even better, Siegel captures an existential starkness to homestead and town, and calmly makes a pro-Native American case without preaching (Elvis plays a half-breed caught between sides in an Indian vs. settlers dustup). Yes, this was 30 years before Dances with Wolves--there were actually quite a few such movies during this era. All in all, a decent picture, and an indication of where Elvis's career might have gone if he hadn't given himself over to fluff. --Robert Horton

Description

West Texas in the years after the Civil War is an uneasy meeting ground of two cultures, one white. The other native American. Elvis portrays Pacer Burton. The son of a white rancher (John McIntire) and his beatiful Kiowa Indian wife (Dolores DelRio). When fighting breaks out between the settlers and natives, Pacer tries to act as a peace maker, but the "flaming star of death" pulls him irrevocably into the deadly violence.

Customer Reviews:

Western with a difference.......2007-03-29

For Elvis fans this shows the King in a serious role as a half caste neither accepted by his white counterparts or the Indian comunnity. For its time it is a good account of how predudice can influence the opions of all. For classic movie lovers it is well worth seeeing as the cast in general is excellent (Steve Forrest, Dolores del Rio) and the story does have merrit. It is a good western and for Elvis fans a tear jerker as "Pacer" rides off in the sunset to die. 97 mins of entertainment.

Flaming Star .......2007-03-08

This is one of Elvis's best movies. A movie the whole family can enjoy on a Saturday night.

Surprisingly good movie and performance.......2007-02-02

I can only concur with all the praise I am reading in these other reviews. I was completely unprepared for how good this movie is. I watched it only because it was an Elvis movie. During the credits, I wondered that there were only 2 songs listed. "How can that be?" But the songs were over 5 minutes into the film, and the rest was a masterful and suspenceful drama that I absolutely didn't expect to see.

The actors are all excellent. There wasn't anyone who seemed to be faking it or just going through the motions. Elvis is very believable in this role, and there are no excuses or apologies made for the feelings of anyone in the movie. This movie shows very much the ugliness that can happen when things go wrong and people band together based on color or background. Pacer, his mother, and their whole family are basically victims caught in the web of prejudice and hatred from *both* the white settlers and the Native-Americans who are protecting their land.

Despite the standard day-for-night shooting, there are some wonderful images in the film, such as the sequence where Pacer's wounded mother struggles across the windy and bare fields near their house. It seems almost allegorical the way the wind and dirt swirl and impede her progress, and she stumbles and struggles to push her way forward, across land that in previous scenes seemed friendly and bucolic. When her husband rushes out to look for her, I felt actual physical pain in my chest from his terror that she would be lost and dying in the bare soil of this land that he had tended for 20 years, and that now seemed like an enemy to him for it hid from him what he loved. Truly an amazing sequence from an excellent director.

Only film that they let him 'act' instead of alot of singing.......2006-10-08

This film showed Elvis's ability as an actor, the only one that ever did. Most of his films were chasing women, and singing. This and Blue Hawaii, to me, are the best. The theme 'Flaming Star', I really felt applied to him at his death...think of his life, and listen to the words....

Flaming Star is not just a great Elvis movie.......2006-08-13

It's a great movie, period! I just saw it in Cinemascope at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood last night and I was stunned by its excellence. I've often heard that this movie proved that Elvis could "act" but I've always been skeptical. I assumed the movie would be full of histrionic treacle and have studiously avoided it.

Big mistake. This movie is first rate, of the highest order. Elvis has gotten knocked over the years for not making more movies like "Flaming Star". But, when you really think about it, NO ONE made movies like "Flaming Star", in any era!

The movie starts tragically and continues it's ever-widening downward spiral until the very end! There's not a light moment in the picture (excluding the very first scene) and it's to be commended for not pulling any punches. Shakespeare didn't write tragedy any better than this.

That is why "Flaming Star" is so satisfying. It stands apart from just about any film you can think of. I LIKE tragedy and would like to see more of it. But, evidently, tragedy doesn't sell and that's why Hollywood stays away from it.

Not only does Elvis play the role of the half-breed Pacer perfectly but he is well-suited to the part. Marlon Brando would not have been a good choice. Elvis looks the part of a half-breed and resembles his Indian "brothers" as much or more than his "real" white brother.

Not enough has been said here at Amazon about the superb perfomances by John McIntire and Steve Forrest in this film. I've seen both of them a million times in films and it's hard to get excited about either one of them. But, in "Flaming Star", their performances are dead-on. They are well-cast and letter perfect in their roles.

Barabara Eden and Delores Del Rio are also superb. Don Siegal knew what he wanted out of all of the actors in this picture and he got what he wanted, in spades.

GREAT film! You don't have to be an Elvis fan to admire it.

Average customer rating:

The plot is thin--but it hatched Fred and Ginger !!!
Fred and Ginger's first film together...
A delightful 1930's hallucination
Heavy on Group Dances; Light on Fred & Ginger (DVD Review)
Pre-Code Musical

Flying Down to Rio
Starring: Dolores del Rio , Gene Raymond , Raul Roulien , Ginger Rogers , and Fred Astaire
Director: Thornton Freeland
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Gay Divorcee
Carefree
Roberta
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
Follow the Fleet

ASIN: B000H6SXT2
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Amazon.com

In 1933, RKO Pictures had the bright idea of pairing Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond for their new musical blockbuster, Flying Down to Rio. The film was a smash, but not for the reasons anyone expected. The fourth- and fifth-billed stars were an RKO bit player and a Broadway man breaking into Hollywood. Their names were Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, and their pairing in this and eight subsequent RKO films would rewrite cinematic history. Most of Rio's screen time is spent on a humdrum romantic triangle involving Del Rio, Raymond, and Raul Roulien, but Fred (as Fred Ayres) and Ginger (as Honey Hayes) are still able to establish many of the trademarks of their later films. Ginger fronts the band (with Fred on accordian!) in the saucy "Music Makes Me," and Fred does some solo tap, then sings and leads the band for the spectacular airborne finale featuring chorus girls perched on the wings of biplanes. The heart of the film is "The Carioca," a company dance extravaganza that would be imitated by "The Continental" and "The Piccolino" in later films. Here Fred and Ginger take the floor together for the first time; their eyes meet and their foreheads touch. Their dance lasts only a few minutes, but it was the highlight of the film and audiences wanted more. The most prophetic moment occurs toward the beginning of the dance, when, after watching for a while, Fred grabs Ginger and tells her, "I want to try this. Come on, Honey." She declares, "We'll show 'em a thing or three." They did indeed. It was magic, and it was only the beginning. --David Horiuchi

Description

Carefree When a marriage-shy girl falls in love with her psychoanalyst, the result is one of the wittiest, most enjoyable of all the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers classics! Add great dance numbers, Rogers' deft comic timing, and a score by the legendary Irving Berlin, and you have a true film treasure. The story revolves around the fickle Amanda Cooper (Rogers) who has postponed her wedding so often that her fianci (Ralph Bellamy) sends her best friend Tony Flagg (Astaire), a psychoanalyst, to treat her. In spite of hypnosis and assorted other wacky attempts at remedies, Amanda falls in love with Tony, and the rest is musical-comedy history. The dance numbers, choreographed by Astaire and Hermes Pan, a dazzling beyond belief particularly Astaire's astonishing golf-routine!

Customer Reviews:

The plot is thin--but it hatched Fred and Ginger !!!.......2007-05-11

Flying Down To Rio featured the great Delores Del Rio as Belinha De Rezende, a wealthy Brazilian young lady who must enter into an arranged marriage; and Gene Raymond playing Roger Bond, an American band manager who falls in love with her practically at first sight. RKO intended for Flying Down To Rio to be a vehicle for Gene Raymond and Delores Del Rio. Rather unexpectedly, however, two other people stole the show: Fred Astaire as Fred Ayres, the band's accordionist and Ginger Rogers as Honey Hale. Audiences were very impressed and never forgot them; Fred and Ginger continued to make great movies together for quite some while to come.

But I am getting ahead of myself--by about several reviews or so! In Flying Down To Rio you get an American band rather used to being out of work run by ladies' man Roger Bond; a crooked Greek syndicate; an aerial flying show with dancing girls on the wings of the airplanes, new found love on a supposedly deserted island that turns out to be Haiti; the biggest and best Carioca dance scene you ever did see; and a stuffy old aunt looking after Belinha to make sure she enters into that not so perfectly arranged marriage. So, you may ask, how do these all fit together? Well, this is a 1930s musical designed to distract Americans from the Great Depression, so the answer is easy: they DON'T always fit together well. The plot resembles a buffet where you get a little bit of a lot; and certainly not all of the characters have depth to them here. Gene Raymond injects a lot of effort to act rather convincingly as Roger Bond who is deeply in love with Belinha De Rezende; and Delores Del Rio plays Belinha beautifully.

At the same time, we see Fred and Honey (Fred and Ginger) just beginning to shine and they easily steal the show two or three times throughout this picture. The Carioca dance scene is choreographed to perfection; and Fred and Ginger work wonders together throughout the rest of the film, too.

Will Belinha marry her husband to be Julio (Raul Roulien) and set aside her somewhat impulsive amorous feelings for band manager Roger? Will the band find work in Rio? Will the hotel where the band wants to play be able to stage a show if their permit is fouled up? Why do the Greeks want to take over the hotel? Sorry folks; no spoilers here--if you want to know the answers you'll just have to watch the film to find out!

The choreography shines through best with the numerous extensive song and dance numbers that are peppered all throughout the film; and the cinematography is rather good. The people are well framed on the screen when they need to be and there are several scene changes that take place with lines running across the screen to indicate that we are jumping to another place for the next scene. This was considered fine cinematography in its day.

The DVD has a couple of extras but if you get this DVD the film squarely remains the main event. You get a comedy short entitled Short Beer and Pretzels with Ted Healy and His Stooges and a cartoon entitled I Like Mountain Music.

I highly recommend this film for fans of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers especially since this was their first film together. Their dancing even then was outstanding, to say the least. People who enjoy musicals from the golden age of Hollywood should catch this film, too, to enjoy the numerous song and dance numbers. The dancing isn't always the best, but you will like these musical numbers anyway.

Enjoy!

Fred and Ginger's first film together..........2007-02-19

Fred and Ginger are the main attraction in this film in which they had second billing to stars Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio, who is the most beautiful woman ever to have graced a Hollywood film.

The sets are incredible, especially the over-the-top Aviation Club with air motif decor and the band in motion, suspended above the patrons in a balloon-gondola. Zowie! This film, and that scene, prompted Stanley Donan to make the motion picture musical his life's work. We can understand why.

Gene Raymond has a band and Ginger and Fred are part of it. Ginger sings a red hot little number called "Music Makes Me" to get us off to a flying (if you will excuse the pun) start.

By a set of improbable circumstances Del Rio, who is Raymond's love interest, has to fly home to Rio, and guess what -- this being Hollywood -- he has a plane complete with a built-in piano to take her there, sans her auntie chaperone who is left behind on the runway.

Engine trouble develops and after an impromptu landing on a tropical beach Raymond croons "Orchids in the Moonlight" and the scenery obliges the lyrics. The next morning they discover that they have landed near a resort golf course, so they weren't that stranded after all.

Eventually they and the rest of the band make it to Rio--and at the Aviation Club Fred dances a tango with Del Rio to a reprise of "Orchids in the Moonlight"--an overlooked moment of dance loveliness.

Amid much mix up and comic capers, Fred and Ginger not only help Del Rio's father's new hotel to be a smashing success, they dance their way into movie history with the magical "Carioca".

The "Carioca" begins with a couple of sleeply looking Brazilian musicians on stage, setting up the music with their percussion. The fellows from Gene's band shrug as if to say that's not much to write home about. But the siesta is over... Enter the rest of the Brazilian band and all of the sudden the music swells with a new kind of sound and you have one of those magic moments when the tune takes over and gets inside your head. The stance for the partners is to dance forehead to forehead, ("What is that, mental telepathy?") and so the dance steps of the ensemble, as well as for Ginger and Fred, use that device throughout. Astaire and Rogers end up "showin' 'em a thing or three" by dancing their on the spot improvisation of the dance, on revolving pianos. The audience suspends disbelif long enough to go along with the idea that, awe shucks folks, Fred and Ginger are just making it up as they go along--a concept that is used repeatedly in many of their later films. Suddenly everyone wanted to be able to improvise like them, out there in front of everybody on the dance floor.

It wowed 1930s audiences and still wowes, today.

The plot thickens... As an underworld syndicate tries to force the hotel to close before it opens, by keep the hotel from getting its entertainment license. No matter! Fred devises a plan to have the entertainment take wing -- and so all of the chorus girls are wired to a fleet of biplanes and monoplanes and, at his signal, they wow the crowds with an aerial display to the strains of the title song. The girls don't have to do much dancing, but they wave their hands and kick their feet in a Charleston-esque way... (not both at the same time or they would fall to their death--which one of them nearly does). It is silliness in the extreme and yet, we love it.

Fred and Ginger are just a couple of ordinary folks in this picture, there is no top hat and tails just yet, but it works so well that it started what would become the most remarkable film dance partnership ever.

And yes, it is an RKO Radio Picture.

A delightful 1930's hallucination.......2007-01-30

Audiences wanted escapism then and boy did they get it! This film is far more surreal than anything coming out of Hollywood now. In fact, modern viewers accustomed only to contemporary films would be almost disoriented watching this, because we can't seem to bend reality to quite the same degree now.

A fun artificial dream world (and a dream Brazil) were joyfully created here with the purpose of removing the viewer from the real world. This film is a wonderful warm hallucination, not unlike a drug experience.

There is SO much here! The famous "pre-code" scene with the women bound to the airplane wings and going through their dance routines is kinky and over the top even by today's standards, and worth the price of the movie.

This is the most unique of the Fred and Ginger movies and one of the most unique films of all time. Later Astaire/Rogers films became a bit more formulaic. With this crazy film, you hardly know what's going to happen next!

I like this movie for its music too. With DVD, you can immediately get to the musical parts. To me the "Carioca" number can be played as a 1930's music video- and does it blow MTV and VH1 away!

Get this film, and enjoy something different!

Heavy on Group Dances; Light on Fred & Ginger (DVD Review).......2006-10-28

Their first film together, this is the only Fred and Ginger (F&G) movie where they play supporting roles. The studio executives and the public did not yet know this couple's dance potential and powerhouse future. They only dance together once 43 minutes into the film (The Carioca). The movie is filled with several post-card quality shots of Rio de Janeiro and has more choreographed group dance routines and vocalists than you can shake a stick at. My favorite is all those girls dancing on biplanes while in flight, which is very creative. The romantic plot of the main characters, Belhina De Rezende (Dolores del Rio) and Roger Bond (Gene Raymond) and the subplot of the Greek investors are a little light but still held my interest.

The vintage short "Beer and Pretzels" is a very early three stooges short with Ted Healy still with the comedy team. The slapping-of-the-face sound effects have not yet even entered the soundtrack. Just like F&G in Rio, Moe, Larry and Curly are in supporting roles. The four men cause havoc as waiters in a high class restaurant. Most of this short consists of song and dance routines of people I have never heard of. (1933 Run time 20:33)

In the classic cartoon "I Like Mountain Music" the characters in a department store come to life and perform. Most of them jump out from magazine and book covers and are caricatures of personalities popular at the time. (1933 B&W Run time 6:59)

Theatrical Trailer (Run Time 1:29)

Pre-Code Musical.......2006-07-03

Flying Down to Rio is the film that marks the first pairing of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. The two are not the main attraction though; the film stars Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond in a tempestuous love affair. Raymond is a band leader who always falls for beautiful women. Del Rio is engaged to a man in Rio de Janeiro but secretly harbors feelings for the American. In a back and forth romance, the two occupy plenty of the film. The rest is taken by extravagant musical numbers including "I Like Music," "The Carioca," and "Orchids in the Moonlight" on top of a wonderful number that exhibits chorus girls dancing on top of airplanes!

The cast is good and the story is pretty standard, but it is the music that spices up the film. Definitly take a look at this movie, which is filled with inuendo only pre-code films could get away with and music only those early musicals featured.

Average customer rating:

Movie review

Children of Sanchez
Starring: Patricia Aspillaga , Alicia del Lago , Dolores Del Rio , Josefina Echanove , and Lupita Ferrer
Director: Hall Bartlett
Manufacturer: Trinity Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
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Children of Sanchez
Children of Sanchez
Tizoc (Amor Indio)
Chuck Mangione - Greatest Hits
Land of Make Believe

ASIN: B0009Q0F00
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Description

Synopsis: A gripping tale of one man's struggle to abide by tradition, and his daughter's desire to break it. The Sanchez clan has seen the worst of times living in impoverished Mexico but they have survived by sticking together. When Sanchez's oldest daughter Consuelo, plans to change direction and build a life of her own, the family, and Sanchez, face an enormous challenge

Customer Reviews:

Movie review.......2007-01-11

The film was/is good but "splicey". I was a bit disappointed but considering the age of the movie I suppose it can't be expected to be up to par with today's movies on DVD. The music is excellent and worth the price of the DVD but the audio could have been just a little bit better.

Average customer rating:

Reportaje
Starring: Pedro Armendáriz , Armando Calvo , Roberto Canedo , Arturo de Cordova , and Dolores Del Rio
Director: Emilio Fernandez
Manufacturer: Visionary Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales
La Tercera Palabra
El Inocente
Habia una Vez un Marido
Los Hijos de Maria Morales

ASIN: B000JLTRPY
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Description

A press journalist offers 10,000 pesos to the journalist that finds the best news on New Years Eve.

Average customer rating:

Bird of Paradise - Which Version
The information for the DVD shown is NOT CORRECT!!
Bird of Paradise: A Bold Display of Racism and American Heroism
Well, It Was Pretty...
Strange, engrossing

Bird of Paradise
Starring: Dolores del Rio , Joel McCrea , John Halliday , Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher , and Bert Roach
Director: King Vidor
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
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Pre-Code Hollywood - The Risque Years (Of Human Bondage / Millie / Kept Husbands)
TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 1 (Waterloo Bridge 1931 / Baby Face / Red-Headed Woman)
Sin Takes a Holiday
Behind Office Doors
The Animal Kingdom

ASIN: B0000A0DVT
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Customer Reviews:

Bird of Paradise - Which Version.......2006-08-22

Has Amazon ever cleared up the confusion regarding the version of this movie. The jacket shows the original 1932 version but the cast is from the 1951 remake.

The information for the DVD shown is NOT CORRECT!!.......2006-08-14

I hope that Amazon will clear up the information listed for this DVD. They list the cast of the remake from the 50's, they have the aspect ratio as widescreen. Which verson of the film is being offered here?? Please clear this up so that those that order will not be disapointed. I am not even sure that the widescreen verson from the 50's is even available on DVD.

Bird of Paradise: A Bold Display of Racism and American Heroism.......2005-10-06

The film Bird of Paradise, directed by King Vidor in 1932, tells the love story of an American sailor, Johnny, and a Polynesian woman, Luana, daughter of the island's tribal chief. Although they fall in love, Luana ultimately forces herself to leave Johnny because of her arranged marriage to the island's prince, and her father's anger. The plot seems innocent enough, but underneath its bathetic façade, we discover a blatantly racist representation of Polynesian people and a bold display of American heroism. Every aspect of the natives is implausible, from their appearance to their naïve and wild behavior, and the ethnocentricity of the Americans in the film is shocking to witness.
The first and most severe cinematic mishap of this film is its misrepresentation of people from the Pacific Islands. The casting directors cast many non-Polynesian actors in the roles of the Polynesian natives, including the lead female role, Luana, portrayed by Mexican film actress, Dolores Del Rio. Although their poor selection of actors was probably due to unavailability of ethnically Polynesian actors at the time of filming, their unrealistic casting nevertheless detracts from the authenticity of the film. Several scenes depict these "natives" stereotypically dancing wildly around a fire. To make matters worse, Busby Berkeley, the film's choreographer, clearly did not invest much time into researching authentic Polynesian dance forms, and what results is a misconstrued and unrealistic Latin-tinged, frenzied body movement, replete with sensual grinding and hip-swiveling. But perhaps the most absurd portrayal of Polynesian people in the film is the scene where the "flying fish come out." The film depicts the "islanders" screaming wildly in canoes as water splashes and fish fly all around them. The scene is intolerably ridiculous and further detracts from the film's believability.
The film also portrays Americans as civilized, morally righteous and superior to the islanders, which is slightly more insufferable than the unrealistic depiction of the native people. In the opening scene, the Americans, towering above the water in their big boat, throw some possessions overboard to the natives, who rapaciously paddle their canoes and swim to collect their newfound "treasures" of the "modern world." Not only does this scene cast the natives in the role of naïve children, but it also creates the illusion that the Americans are civilized heroes bringing technology to the uncivilized world. Furthermore, Johnny heralds Christianity as the only true religion and brazenly informs Luana that her religious beliefs are "crazy superstitions." When the natives tie Luana and Johnny to poles to sacrifice them to Pele, the local volcano god, Johnny tells Luana not to be scared because Pele "is not a real god, he's just a hole in the ground." Johnny then informs her that "There's only one real God," as he vociferously begins reciting the Lord's Prayer. It is hard to believe that this religious fervor comes from Johnny, the sailor who virtually rapes Luana after pursuing her underwater in the beginning of the film.
Although Vidor directed this film in 1932, which might explain some of the problems with it, many people still believe these images and behavioral representations of Americans and Pacific Islanders to be the truth. Images and representations of people and places, however fictitious they might be, are powerful, and leave imprints on our minds whether we intend them to or not. Furthermore, images and representations tend to become knowledge and, as the common adage goes, "Knowledge is power." However, by allowing false images to form our knowledge, we only become prejudiced and ignorant. Therefore, it is imperative that people seek out true knowledge, or else the people of the world will have to suffer through more movies like Bird of Paradise.

Well, It Was Pretty..........2005-06-28

This movie is about a group of American men who visit an island. The natives greet them enthusiastically and all seems well. One man, Johnny played by Joel McCrea, sees the beautiful Dolores Del Rio and instantly wants her. He decides to stay behind on the island when his friends leave because he is enraptured with her. He learns that she is the king's daughter and is not to be touched by anyone other than the Prince to whom she is promised. Johnny tries anyway and when they are found kissing, Johnny is tied up while the native girl is married. However, Johnny escapes and steals his love away from the ceremony. She is happily in love with him, but she knows that if she stays with Johnny, a curse will be placed on them by the volcano. When Johnny vows to protect her, she is taken by the natives anyway, and he struggles to get her back. The film by now seems standard; it seems that there are always love triangles between the white man and the native girl and whomever she is betrothed to in these films. The slow pacing makes this one suffer even more than the trite plot.

This early film showcases the gorgeous Dolores Del Rio who once said she would never make a talkie. Perhaps it would have been wise not to make this one. For the most part, her character speaks in another language or in very broken English, and she does not come off as the brightest star. Joel McCrea fares a little better, but he is not outstanding.

The film is beautifully photographed, although the print could be better with some restoration. The island is gorgeous, surrounded by the ocean and exotic plants. The camera does not hesitate to capture the opulence of the surface of the water and it even travels under to show sharks and sea turtles or people swimming.

What might shock some about this film is the nudity. There are underwater shots of the native girl skinnydipping which would have never gotten past the censors had the film been made during the production code. The scene is artistically done and no particular parts can be made out clearly. However, it might come as a shock to audiences under the impression that film makers of the bygone era were prudes.

Strange, engrossing.......2004-04-12

Strange and amateurish in many regards, yet fascinating and engrossing in its own way, this David O. Selznick production is the original "Bird of Paradise" -- not the 1950s remake starring Debra Paget and Louis Jourdan, which will make for an interesting comparison if it's ever released on DVD.

The stars of this one, Joel McCrea and Delores Del Rio, make quite a strange pair. Joel seems like a hayseed just off farm (his dialogue is peppered with "huhs?" and "whats?" as he seeks to communicate with the mysterious island beauty, Delores). As for Dolores, she seems to belong in a different, and probably more interesting, movie than this one. And even her fabled nude swim scene is pretty tame and unimpressive.

The movie was filmed on location in 1930s Hawaii. Although the focus always seems a bit off, the scenery is still beautiful -- and a good reminder of what Hawaii must have been like before "they paved paradise and put up a pink hotel (the Sheraton Waikiki by the way)." There's also quite a bit of underwater photography, which is pretty impressive given that this movie was filmed approximately 70 years ago.

Description

Narrated by Wanda De Jesus, The Bronze Screen honors the past, illuminates the present, and opens a window to the future of Latinos in motion pictures. From silent movies to urban gang films, stereotypes of the Greaser, the Lazy Mexican, the Latin Lover, and the Dark Lady are examined. Rare and extensive footage traces the progression of this distorted screen image to the increased prominence of today's Latino actors, writers, and directors. Featuring insights on Anthony Quinn, Rita Hayworth, Rita Morena, Raquel Welch, Benicio Del Toro, Antonio Banderas, Desi Arnaz, Salma Hayek, John Leguizamo, Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Smits, Raul Julia, Cesar Romero, Carmen Miranda, Dolores del Rio, Lupe Velez, Ricardo Montalban, Jose Ferrer, Cheech Marin, and many more. With scenes from The Addams Family, Chinatown, Colors, Days of Heaven, El Mariachi, Giant, Gilda, The Godfather III, High Noon, King Kong, La Bamba, Like Water for Chocolate, The Magnificent Seven, Selena, Touch of Evil, Up in Smoke, Viva Zapata, West Side Story, The Wild Bunch, Zoot Suit, and dozens of other movies. Extra Features: The following film trailers serve as tributes to three of the most influential and legendary Latino forces in Hollywood history: Anthony Quinn - Includes insights from his OSCAR winning roles in Viva Zapata and Lust for Life. Plus scenes from Quinn's most famous performance as Zorba the Greek. Rita Hayworth - Playing the title role in Gilda made Miss Hayworth a star. As the sultry Miss Sadie Thompson, she was truly unforgettable. Rita Moreno - From the original coming attraction of West Side Story, it was evident Ms. Moreno would pick up an OSCAR for her performance in the film.

Customer Reviews:

good for conference disucssions too.......2006-06-17

This 100 year overview of Latinos as viewed by Hollywood is a great blend of entertainment and education, with enlightening commentary. We used it recently in a conference about Latinos and it was a great way to stimulate disucssion about how to evaluate and improve images of various minorities in the media. Agree that there should be a version with Spanish subtitles. It was fasinating to learn that Spanish language versions of Hollywood films used to be shot at night, using same sets etc.

Exceptional documentary!.......2004-04-09

This is an exceptional documentary! Beautifully crafted and done with a loving and intelligent spirit. It is far from being a nostalgic celebration of old films. It aspires to more and ultimately succeeds in being a thoughtful and thorough analysis of the Latino legacy in motion pictures. The film is accessible to all audiences and is witty, funny and completely engaging. This would be an excellent purchase for all film lovers.

Finally, we have our due!.......2003-06-17

Though we still have a long way to go in Hollywood (they just keep seeing us as the "help" and not educated professionals). This documentary shows how we came a long way to finally get the respect we deserve. Latinos are always overlooked, the general public, Hollywood and the ads/marketing business seem to believe that Latinos have just appeared with "the latin explosion" a few years back with J. Lopez, R. Martin, Marc Anthony in music. But this DVD justifies that we have been here for a very long time not only in film but, to be exact over 500 years in human life. This is excellent documentary how we brought an unique "flavor"(whether it was bad or good) to a median called the movies. Excellent job!

Estupendo! Maravilloso! Bravo!.......2003-01-20

A lot of people don't know that film has been around for a century and they REALLY don't know that Latinos have been depicted in them since the beginning. Defeating notions that Latinos have only been in Hollywood since they were about to become the largest minority group, this documentary is a brilliant investigation of both Latinos and Hollywood. This is strong cultural studies in which the interviewees make clear why the analysis of race and representation is so crucial to academics, politics, and modern life in general.

This film should be applauded for its gender-inclusivity. Not only are Latino and Latina interviewees featured, but the depictions of Latino masculinity and Latina femininity are examined as shown in film. Further, the narrator is a woman (Wanda de Jesus) at a time when most narrators are male (think of the narrator for VH-1's "Behind the Music", for instance). However, Ramon Novarro is mentioned as the first Latino Hollywood star, yet it's never mentioned that he was openly gay.

While most of the film characters are Chicano, the interviewees range the gamut in terms of Latin American ancestry. The film not only features actors and actresses; it includes Latino directors, producers, set designers, and others. For readers of Latino film studies, it is great to see the faces behind prolific academics such as Noriega and Ramirez-Berg.

This documentary is excellent in terms of covering film issues, but also Latino issues generally. The film mentions that Mexico banned American movies for a long time due to their negative depictions of Mexicans. Thus, politically-correct readings and protests are nothing new. The NAACP's boycott of "Birth of a Nation" was not the only time in which people of color fought Hollywood racism. The film mentions the civil rights movement, the Monroe doctrine, the bracero program and other events that affected Latinos inside and out of Hollywood.

Latino actors talk about others encouraging them to change their names or dye their hair: issues that Latino non-actors face too. Further, the actors complain of Latino character roles going to white actors when perfectly good Latino actors are available. Thus, the controversy over the first film about Frida Kahlo is nothing new. Additionally, Latino actors talk about the crummy jobs they had to take to first break into film: matters that all actors face.

The documentary is not perfect. The chronology falls about at places. There are two sections on the 1960s for no reason. There is a discussion about gang films from the 1980s and 90s before they even discuss Latino films from the 1970s. In order to get Latino actors to talk about their experiences, they have to avoid being critical of their work. For example, Ricardo Montalban defends the Latin lover type even though many would have problems with it. Elizabeth Pena is feature frequently, even though she has played highly degrading depictions of Latinas. Moreover, it must be noted that A-list actors are missing from this work (Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Benicio del Toro). One wonders if they can't expose and critique the Hollywood that has made them so rich and famous.

The sections of this documentary are written in grainy chalk writing for some reason. Additionally, this DVD had no Spanish subtitles or dubbing. In the US, the majority of Latinos are still foreign-born and many have difficulties speaking and reading English. I understand that documentaries don't have big budgets to include cool extra features. Nevertheless, the lack of a Spanish translation of this work will leave many viewers who would love this piece out of the loop. It's a true shame.

Description

From Mexico's Golden Age of Cinema comes this rediscovered classic by legendary director Fernando de Fuentes, including the rarely seen alternate ending censored in Mexico for decades. Part of the director's "Revolutionary Trilogy," VAMONOS CON PANCHO VILLA follows the adventures of six young men who leave their rural homes to join Pancho Villa's army. Together, the men endure hardship, tragedy, and disillusionment-all for the cause of the Mexican Revolution. A leading figure in the Mexican Cinema of the 1930s, de Fuentes' most important work dealt with his country's history, particularly the Revolution. He was acclaimed for his use of moving camera, but his visual sense closely matches that of John Ford. VAMONOS CON PANCHO VILLA confirms the director's importance in the history of Latin American film.

Customer Reviews:

Excelente película.......2006-02-21

Un clásico del cine mexicano, durante muchos años no tuvimos la fortuna de ver esta pelicula en formato digital.
Una pelicula que nos muestra parte de la historia de México, pero lo más significativo para mí es la banda sonora, ya que fue compuesta por el músico Silvestre Revueltas, quien por cierto aparece en la película como el pianista de la cantina, siendo el único documento en película que tenemo de él.
una excelente pelicula, buena fotografía y música y divertidas actuaciones.

LA PELICULA MAS IMPORTANTE HECHA EN MEXICO.......2005-11-06

Finalmente esta obra maestra de Fernando de Fuentes esta disponible en DVD. Considerada como la pelicula mas importante que haya producido Mexico segun la revista Somos, Vamonos con Pancho Villa nos cuenta las aventuras de seis hombres de la provincia mexicana que deciden dejar sus casas para unirse al ejercito de Pancho Villa. Juntos encuentran la crudeza y realidades de una guerra civil. Uno a uno va pereciendo con mas pena que gloria, hasta que el ultimo de ellos ya totalmente desilusionado de la lucha y sus circunstancias decide regresar a casa.
Hay algunas deficiencias en el sonido de esta produccion, pero poder disfrutar un clasico de esta magnitud finalmente en DVD lo justifica totalmente.
Ojala y Cinemateca obtenga el exito que merece con estos trabajos y siga dandonos la oportunidad de disfrutar de este tipo de peliculas.

Average customer rating:

John Ford's Epic Tribute to the American Indian
Long Winded
Northern Cheyenne rates this movie!
Did you know...?
John Ford's attempt at making history...

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Man Without a Star
Two Rode Together
Ulzana's Raid
The Cheyenne Social Club
They Died with Their Boots On

ASIN: 6302450179
Release Date: 1994-07-22

Amazon.com

Cheyenne Autumn is a beautiful title to grace John Ford's final Western, but the film falls short of the occasion. The great director's ambition to tell the story, for once, from the Indians' point of view is only partially fulfilled. He's unambiguously sympathetic to the Cheyennes' resolve to bolt the reservation and trek back to their ancestral lands, while most of white society, the military, the bureaucracy, and the sensationalist press come off as insensitive, foolish, or downright hateful. However, the Cheyenne are nobly wooden (and played by non-Indians), and it's sympathetic cavalry officer Richard Widmark and Quaker missionary Carroll Baker through whose eyes most of the epic narrative unfolds. The video release restores the entirety of the caustic Dodge City interlude (featuring James Stewart as a thoroughly disreputable Wyatt Earp)--truncated after the New York roadshow opening--but William H. Clothier's majestic Panavision compositions have yet to be letterboxed. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

John Ford's Epic Tribute to the American Indian.......2007-02-09

Long Winded.......2005-07-25

This is a very slow paced melodramatic movie which I thought was too "chippy" and "self-congratulatory" for the subject of the film, the plight of the Cheyenne who were driven from their homelands. There's the good Quaker woman, "friend Ness," who ran a school for the Indian children to learn the language of the white men and upon greeting the children would make them recite the alphabet on the spot... Then there's the bad officer in command who doesn't enjoy "babysitting" the Indians and doesn't think twice in showing force against them; Friend Ness' uncle who doesn't have much of a role, the good wise older captain who dresses not in military clothing like the rest of his troop, but rather in cowboy apparel, kind of like Marlboro Man; and the young hot-headed sargent holding a personal grudge against the Indians.

On the Indian side, you have pretty much the same cast of characters, except they are Indian, of course. There's the grumpy mad elder cheif who dies passing cheifhood to the bad Indian. The good older Indian who is the counterpart of the good captain. The young, impatient Indian who fires the first shot and attracts the eye of female admirers with his bare chest. And then there's "Spanish Woman," Ness' counterpart on the Indian side of characters and as she is called by Ness. Here I am confused. Why is she called Spanish woamn? I don't get it, and doesn't she have a name other than Spanish Woman.

Both sides have the same conflicts acted out between good and bad guys and gals, which I do not find very realistic.

Just as the movie finally gets moving, the story gets interrupted out of nowhere with a depiction of Wyatt Earp in Dodge City, Kansas which adds nothing of importance to the main story, other than to throw in something that has nothing to do with anything and perhaps cast James Stewart in the role as Wyatt Earp.

By the time the movie steers back to the main story, my eyes became very heavy and I fell asleep.

If you need a movie to put you to sleep, this will do the job. I give the movie two stars for the beautiful cinematography and for the subject matter. I think John Ford could have done much better if he had edited out irrelevant parts to the story, spent more time developing the story rather than establishing useless good and bad guys, and toned down the melodrama.

Northern Cheyenne rates this movie!.......2003-07-03

I bought this vcr tape a few months ago. Sure the movie is NOT all correct for Cheyenne dress and habits but John Ford did bring the Cheyenne's plight and disgraceful treatment to the big screen. I view the movie at least once a month and never get tired of it. Excellent movie and beautiful scenes in the movie. Wish John Ford was alive to direct another such movie!
This Northern Cheyenne give this movie 5 stars and a thumbs up.

Did you know...?.......2002-08-27

That this film was shot on the Navajo reservation and the Indians in the film were Navajos? That the dialogue that was supposedly in Cheyenne was actually in Navajo and had little to do with what was supposedly being said?

All in all, it was a good attempt for its time, and a story that needed to be told. Perhaps someday an Indian director will remake it with Indian actors. As effective as it is, it could be so much more so.

John Ford's attempt at making history..........2002-07-01

Granted, it might not be a glorious John Ford movie as his earlier works, but in this one attempt one might recognize the soul of the director, a troubled soul.

He had always depicted the native Americans as being merely a detail in American history, and now, having reached the sunset and the winter of his own life - and probably some wisdom as well, he comes out in the open and seems to ask for forgiveness.

It is a touching attempt at redemption and as such it should be considered. Ford was deeply religious, even though he never openly admitted it and here it shows.

Of course it is at times naive, at times superficial and at times kitsch, but this is also the the true and touching opening of an old man who has realized that his own world has changed and the views of the people have changed.

He is desperately trying to get in touch and in synchrony with this new world and admits the faults and mistakes that some of his forefathers have committed against defenseless and hopeless people.

This movie is probably more his own introspection before his death and at the same time is the heritage he wanted to leave us before his demise.

This is why I wouldn't be so harsh as to trash it so swiftly.

Even though somewhat naive in its views, the story of the Lakota/Dakota tribes being deported and so shamelessly persecuted by the American Government in those far away days is absolutely true.

It is a piece of American history that so many Americans would like to see being forgotten but occasionally pops up to hunt us as a reminder that any civilization can produce unspeakable horrors, especially when it feels socially superior.

What I would mostly criticize is the fact that all American native parts were cast with other minorities, especially of hispanic origin (Gilbert Roland and Ricardo Montalban, two of the best and finest actors of Latin origin who, unfortunately for those years, were so many times misused and typecast).

But all this does not come as a surprise if one consider that certain racial practices were still in effect in those days. We are four years away from 1968 and Martin Luther King and the road to parity for American natives will be even longer than that...

The film is slow paced on purpose, in order for the audience to absorb the atrocity of the situation in which the American natives, in this case the Cheyennes, are forced to live.

The U.S. Government is not depicted as one homogeneous force as it may have been later on in history, but rather as a bunch of newly arrived groups of Europeans who intend to take a foothold on the American Continent in order to pursue an all out colonization of the Land.
A very similar situation to that of the British confronted with the Zulus in South Africa.

Right or wrong is not contemplated in this movie. History here is what it was, crude and cruel. It's the affirmation of one Society over another. People don't count...

But this is exactly where this movie is highly revealing: the people involved. History is just a poor excuse to handle people as cattle.

It's the interior conflicts of the people that appear in this work that make it so worthwhile. Whites, as well as American natives, seem uncomfortable with the situation at hand and struggle uneasily against the winds of Power.

A Power always felt but never seen. An Evil force that drives people to do what they do because they are meant to do it. But this evil force is never clearly seen and never takes a firm foothold in one or more people.

This is why everything in this movie seems to be at once so confused and at the same time so desperate. The movie asks who these people really are and what they really want from life, but also shows us that they all are pawns in this immense chess game and no one can really do what he would like to do.

Here, John Ford's image of his interior struggle taking place is very clearly recognizable. It's as if he's trying to tell us that he has always tried to do what was right but never really what he truly wanted to do... and that he was probably sorry never to be able to unchain himself from the system.

The true message to us and the legacy he is trying to convey is not to allow others to take us as hostages but rather to fight such people with all our strength because otherwise we might land up as slaves.

In as much, the movie is revolutionary for its times. In other words this is a multilayered work of art that is well worth watching in its subtle net of subplots that hide messages reserved to those who can read them.

It's much less a Western than a History lesson, but so much more a last "J'accuse" from the author of the most memorable Westerns ever made and the most controversial director of his times.

If you know how to read John Ford, then this movie will reveal him to you like none other before.
If you're out for another conventional John Ford movie than this is certainly not it.

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