Patricia Routledge

Average customer rating:

I only ment to order one dvd
To Sir
A real classic
To Sir With Love
To Sir, With Love

To Sir, With Love
Starring: Sidney Poitier , Christian Roberts , Judy Geeson , Suzy Kendall , and Lulu
Director: James Clavell
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Lilies of the Field
A Patch of Blue
Blackboard Jungle
A Raisin in the Sun

ASIN: B00003L9C1
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Amazon.com essential video

Novelist James Clavell wrote, produced, and directed this 1967 British film (based on a novel by E.R. Braithwaite) about a rookie teacher who throws out stock lesson plans and really takes command of his unruly, adolescent students in a London school. Poitier is very good as a man struggling with the extent of his commitment to the job, and even more as a teacher whose commitment is to proffering life lessons instead of academics. The spirit of this movie can be found in such recent films as Dangerous Minds and Mr. Holland's Opus, but none is as moving as this one. Besides, the others don't have a title song performed by pop star Lulu. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

I only ment to order one dvd.......2007-06-12

the quality of the dvd was perfect. however I goofed up in the ordering process and ordered 2 of the same dvd's. when I realized this right after I placed the order I contacted amazon via email and they assured me my duplicate order had been cancled and I would recieve one dvd of TO SIR WITH LOVE. I still was billed for and recieved 2 dvd's of TO SIR WITH LOVE.

To Sir.......2007-06-11

Loved it - enjoy Sidney's movies and it brought back a lot of good memories of my teenage years and will watch it many times, I'm sure.

A real classic.......2007-06-10

Sidney Poitier had a pretty good year in 1967- this movie, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and "In the Heat of the Night". 3 different movies and 3 different roles but his role as the teacher here may be one of his best.
The movie was filmed on location in London but this was not the London of Buckingham Palace- it was the London of Jack the Ripper. The students here are a working class bunch badly in need of education and discipline. Poitier dominates the movie in a great performance and Lulu sings the title song ( which became a #1 song). This is a movie that holds up to repeated viewings and it's a film everyone should see at least once.

To Sir With Love.......2007-05-14

This is one of my most favorite movies. I really enjoyed it!!!! Thank you for your prompt delivery of the DVD!!

To Sir, With Love.......2007-05-12

This movie is a classic! I have loved this movie since I was a child. Sir Sidney Poitier is excellent in this role.

Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Kline, Ronstadt, Smith, Routledge, Delacorte Theater (Broadway Theatre Archive)

Average customer rating:

Quality is Dreadful
Absolutely Disgraceful
Outdoor delight
See the brilliance of Kevin Kline with a fantastic ensemble cast!
Defective Recording

Gilbert & Sullivan - The Pirates of Penzance / Kline, Ronstadt, Smith, Routledge, Delacorte Theater (Broadway Theatre Archive)
Starring: Kevin Kline , George Rose , Linda Ronstadt , Rex Smith , and Patricia Routledge
Director: Wilford Leach , and Joshua White (II)
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Pirates of Penzance
Gilbert & Sullivan - H.M.S. Pinafore / Trial By Jury - David Hobson, Anthony Warlow, Colette Mann, Tiffany Speight, John Bolton Wood, Richard Alexander, Opera Australia, State Theatre, The Arts Centre Melbourne
Gilbert & Sullivan - The Mikado / Eric Idle, Lesley Garrett, Richard Van Allan, Felicity Palmer, Richard Angas, Bonaventura Bottone, Susan Bullock, English National Opera
Gilbert & Sullivan - H.M.S. Pinafore / Marshall, Howerd, Jones, Opera World
The Pirate Movie

ASIN: B00006RCMW
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Amazon.com

This Pirates of Penzance is primarily a historical document, part of the Broadway Theater Archive television series. It presents, with some inevitable, tiny technical shortcomings, a live 1980 performance in Central Park, not the 1983 movie of the same name that also starred Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline. Those who remember that film, which had the benefit of retakes and editing, a lavish production budget, and the spaciousness of a Hollywood studio, may find this video less polished. On its own terms, it is nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable.

Advantages of this live performance include a sense of spontaneity, and the feeling of being part of a theatrical audience that is visibly and audibly having a very good time. The (reduced and partly electronic) orchestra is also visible; scenery is minimal; the onstage pirate boat, excellent for a live production, is no match for what a movie can offer. The voices are uneven, and some of them evoke Broadway more than London. But the performance is well styled, lively, and energetic. Gilbert and Sullivan's witty sparkle comes through clearly. --Joe McLellan

Description

Gilbert and Sullivan's raucous operatic tale is captured in all its fun and glory in this production, recorded live at Central Park's Delacorte Theater. Kevin Kline sparkles as the swashbuckling and libidinous Pirate King while Linda Ronstadt makes her theatrical debut as the lovely and virginal Mabel. When Mabel and Frederic, a young pirate bound to serve the Pirate King, fall in love, complications arise and high spirited antics ensue. The incomparable cast offers the best in this boisterous romp. END

Customer Reviews:

Quality is Dreadful.......2007-06-01

The picture and sound quality on this DVD is dreadful! It's a great disappointment.

Absolutely Disgraceful.......2007-05-18

This is one of the worst quality DVDs I have ever seen in my life, and even at a low secondhand price, I feel cheated that I made the mistake of buying this. Video quality is utterly mediocre (like a fuzzy washed-out home video that's been played to death and wasn't any good to start with), the sound is terrible mono (like a worn-out cassette), the filming is primitive and it just looks and sounds unbearably awful. I like this work, but this DVD should never have been released. I've seen better bootleg performance videos done on a mobile phone. It's an outrageous disgrace that isn't even worth one star.

Outdoor delight.......2007-05-07

This is probably the best performance of this work I have ever seen. Normally, one sees good singing and can be quite satisfied with the result. This version, done in an outdoors venue, excels with good acting. The music is equally well done. Despite the dated, and limited, video production, this performance overcomes those slight distractions. Rated A+.

See the brilliance of Kevin Kline with a fantastic ensemble cast!.......2007-05-06

Wanna have some fun? Watch this great G & S classic ... then watch it again. We don't get the opportunity to see really funny "over the top" stuff much anymore ... don't miss this one!

Defective Recording.......2007-04-12

This recording is simply DEFECTIVE.

It opens with a disclamer about the quality of the recording, and boy, they are not kidding!

This is not a simple case of VHS quality on a DVD. Instead the video quality is comporable to the first live broadcast from the 1969 moon landing. And the audio quality is in the same league as early cheap casette recorders, complete with pitch shifts..

It is clear that abosoltely no attempt was made to clean up or remaster this recording. Even the title credits suffer from from jitter distortion and there is time base noise at the bottom of each frame.

Some example frames at VienneseBall dot org slash Pirates

This is particularly criminal because it was such a superb cast and inspired live performance.

I am immediately returning this to Amazon. This recording should never have been released.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable -- once

The Funny Ladies of British Comedy
Starring: Patricia Routledge , and Dawn French
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Patricia Routledge in Three Portraits
Golden Years Of British Comedy - The Swinging Sixties
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates - The Complete First Season
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates - Complete Fourth Series

ASIN: B0002F6BRY
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable -- once.......2004-10-30

This is well-done, pleasant entertainment, but provides no revelatory insights. Certainly, these are funny ladies worthy of recognition.

The clips are on the short side, and the documentary runs for little more than an hour. The extras are somewhat interesting extended interviews that in some cases duplicate what's in the documentary.

So, all in all, a DVD worth renting for a few chuckles, but not one most of us will want to buy for repeated viewings. By the way, almost all of the shows highlighted in this documentary are on DVD, so if you own those sets, then there's little reason to pick this up.

Average customer rating:

I only ment to order one dvd
To Sir
A real classic
To Sir With Love
To Sir, With Love

To Sir, with Love
Starring: Sidney Poitier , Christian Roberts , Judy Geeson , Suzy Kendall , and Lulu
Director: James Clavell
Manufacturer: RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Geeson, Judy | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Kendall, Suzy | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Lulu | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Poitier, Sidney | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Roberts, Christian | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Routledge, Patricia | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Clavell, James | ( C ) | Directors | VHS | Video

General | Drama | Genres | VHS | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | VHS | Video

Family Films | Kids & Family | Genres | VHS | Video

Breakthrough Cinema | African American Cinema | Genres | VHS | Video

Deals Under $8 | Today's Deals in Video | Features | VHS | Video

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Lilies of the Field
A Patch of Blue
Blackboard Jungle
A Raisin in the Sun

ASIN: 0800104803
Release Date: 1994-07-08

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

I only ment to order one dvd.......2007-06-12

To Sir.......2007-06-11

Loved it - enjoy Sidney's movies and it brought back a lot of good memories of my teenage years and will watch it many times, I'm sure.

A real classic.......2007-06-10

To Sir With Love.......2007-05-14

This is one of my most favorite movies. I really enjoyed it!!!! Thank you for your prompt delivery of the DVD!!

To Sir, With Love.......2007-05-12

This movie is a classic! I have loved this movie since I was a child. Sir Sidney Poitier is excellent in this role.

Average customer rating:

I was tricked by this one
Great special

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
Starring: Richard Briers , Richard Curtis , Geoffrey Hughes , Judy Cornwell , and Lenny Henry
Director: Duane Huey
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs as Low as $9.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video

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

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Funny Ladies of British Comedy
Golden Years Of British Comedy - The Swinging Sixties
The Best of Not the 9 O'Clock News
Butterflies - Series 1
The Vicar of Dibley - 10th Anniversary Specials

ASIN: B0009NSCTE
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Description

Experience again Basil Fawlty, the sharp-tongued, short-tempered owner of Fawlty Towers, and the quiet humor of Lionel Hardcastle (As Time Goes By), the once dashing young Army officer. Remember Father Dougal (Father Ted), the priest oblivious to anything outside of his always-sunny world; a character that Ardal O'Hanlon modeled after a dog. And who can forget the two words from Mr. Humphries (Are You Being Served) that can always make you smile, "I'm free!" Revisit these and many more of your favorite characters. Join host Lenny Henry (Chef!) in honoring the careers and contributions of Britain's funniest blokes with clips of their funniest moments and new interviews. DVD Features:
Biographies
Interviews:Extended interviews with Ardal O'Hanlon (Father Ted), Geoffrey Palmer (As Time Goes By) and Richard Briers (Good Neighbors)

Customer Reviews:

I was tricked by this one.......2007-03-14

The DVD is just a presentation where a speaker talks about different shows of the British Comedy. I was expecting to see a presentation and then the complete shows, but instead they are just small parts (a few seconds) of the mentioned shows.

Great special.......2005-09-01

I watched this when it was on PBS a few months back, in fact, during the show I whipped out my laptop and went to Amazon to search for it. It wasn't there, but I'm so glad BBC decided to release it. Hosted by Lenny Henry, it highlights the best of all my favorite British comedy actors, including John Cleese, Richard Briers, and John Inman. Great purchase, well worth it, will have you remembering all those great moments watching britcoms.

Average customer rating:

"Capturing the many hardships Dickens indured ... David Copperfield (2006) ... Koch Vision"
a dearth of Copperfields
Craft Did Exellant on this D Copperfield
Best version of David Copperfield

David Copperfield (BBC, 1974)
Starring: David Yelland , Patience Collier , Colette O'Neil , Pat Keen , and John Gill (IV)
Director: Joan Craft
Manufacturer: Koch Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Miniseries | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

The Old Curiosity Shop
Nicholas Nickleby
Bleak House
Under the Greenwood Tree
The Mill on the Floss

ASIN: B000E3L7HI
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Product Description

In this definitive BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens classic, David Copperfield struggles to fulfill his potential after enduring the hardships of cruelty, poverty and injustice. Starring David Yelland, Arthur Lowe, Martin Jarvis, Liz Smith, Patricia Routledge.

System Requirements:

Running Time 325 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

"Capturing the many hardships Dickens indured ... David Copperfield (2006) ... Koch Vision".......2006-10-19

Koch Vision and BBC present "David Copperfield" (1974) - David Yelland (325 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Under Julian Aymes (Director), John McRae (Producer), Charles Dickens (Book Author), Hugh Whitmore (Screenwriter) ----- the cast includes David Yelland (David Copperfield), Patience Collier (Betsey Trotwood), Collette O'Neill (Clara Copperfield), Ian Hogg (Mr. Peggotty), Martin Jarvis (Uriah Heep), Patricia Routledge (Mrs. Micawber), Arthur Lowe (Mr. Micawber) . . . . . our story is simply superb with David Yelland in the title role as David Copperfield in this 1974 BBC mini-series ... follow young Copperfield as he's taken from his Mother and loving maid by his stepfather who is as bad as they get ... will David be dumped into a boarding school and given his lessons through a hickory stick ... this bittersweet story has all the ear marks of another Dickens classic with magical direction, wonderful cast and outstanding production --- "My school-days! The silent gliding on of my existence - the unseen, unfelt progress of my life - from childhood up to youth! Let me think, as I look back upon that flowing water, now a dry channel overgrown with leaves, whether there are any marks along its course, by which I can remember how it ran" --- these and other quotes are waiting for you in this marvelous mini-series of David Copperfield by Dickens.

Great job by Koch Vision for releasing "David Copperfield" (1974) - David Yelland, the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the BBC mini-series film market...order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch drama mixed with an outstanding cast and director --- just the way we like 'em

Total Time: 325 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV6382 ~ (4/04/2006)

a dearth of Copperfields.......2006-09-15

If the BBC can devote 26 episodes to the Forsyte Saga (an excellent movie), surely they can devote 12 episodes to the greatest novel in the English language. Or to put it another way, if the BBC can devote five hours to an inferior novel like "The Buccaneers", surely they can devote twice that number to David Copperfield.

The 1974 version of the book is 5 hours long, the longest version so far. It includes all the important events of the novel, but only touches on these events and the many characters and does not have time to make the events as effective as they could be. The script is creditable except a few times where it ducked a dramatic scene, breaking before and coming in afterward, including the scene which Tolstoy called the greatest in all of world literature--the storm at sea. It is also a low budget film.

The casting is inferior with weak performances of almost all the actors (the exceptions being Anthony Andrews as Steerforth, the actress who played Aunt Betsy and the actor who played Heap, who gave us the best Uriah of any of the movie versions). Outstanding examples of bad casting were (1) David's mother, who should have been young and dainty instead of 40 and rugged, and (2) Dora, who should have been 16 and petite instead of late 30s and tall and sturdy. Also, the actor played Macawber too seriously without the touch of comic absurdity which the book has and which the part required. The actor who played the grown-up David did not look half so bad as the picture on the cover and played his part adequately.

The 1935 version with its stark black and white resembles the Cruikshank drawings in the book, and many of the performances are definitive: Freddy Bartholomew as young David, Edna Mae Oliver as Aunt Betsy, Basil Rathbone as Murdstone, Lionel Barrymore as Mr. Peggoty, as well as the people who played David's mother, little Emily, and most of the minor characters. The settings are a joke, cardboard, painted backdrops and the arid landscape of California filling in for the lush green English countryside. Still, it is an effective and indelible movie, marred only by having to leave so much out (2 hours 10 minutes) and by the horrendously inappropriate casting of W.C. Fields as Macawber (the most laconic actor in the movies to play the most loquacious character in all literature?!) His laboring to get the words out is painful to watch. The director, George Cukor, wanted Charles Laughton. Louis B. Mayer overruled him. But the filmmaker knew how to make movies, and the screenwriter knew how to write screenplays. The same cannot be said for the other film versions.

The 1970 version is a joke. Some smart-aleck screenwriter thought it would be clever to chop the story up into bits, toss them in the air, pick them up randomly and show them to the audience. All the moving events are thus rendered totally ineffective. This version is useful only as a lesson in how to ruin a great story.

The 1999 version is only three hours long and has more elaborate sets, some location shooting, and background music, but suffers from poor or inappropriate casting. Maggie Smith chose to play Aunt Betsy as a straight serious role, depriving the character of the comic touches which make Aunt Betsy such a cherished character. Bob Hoskins' performance bears no relation to Macawber, thus depriving us of one of the most colorful characters in all literature. Incredibly, the actor chosen to play Murdstone looks almost identical to Hoskins! Imelda Staunton portrays Mrs. Macawber very well, and the boy does well enough as young David, but the rest of the cast is lamentable. And the omission of Traddles is a loss. The script is hit and miss. But the most serious problems are the introduction of a narrator who is constantly narrating and keeping the audience at one remove from the events, and the actor who played the grown-up David, who constantly smiled and smirked, sometimes even in the tragic scenes. He seemed to have no other facial expression.

Bottom line: If you can only afford one version, the 1974 version is your best bet. Alas.

Craft Did Exellant on this D Copperfield.......2006-09-02

This production follows what C Dickens wanted and did say in his book "David Copperfield." I think Mr Dickens would have been happy and gave it his approval. We are Dickens fans and usually see major plots are left out of the film, but not here. Do not look for Hollywood glizt here. Buy this BBC master.

Best version of David Copperfield.......2006-04-03

I have seen quite a few versions of David Copperfield and, in my opinion, this one is the best. The actors are outstanding, with a special nod to Anthony Andrews who plays a chilling Steerforth, and the locations and script are excellent also. I highly recommend this production. I have been waiting for it to come to DVD for a long time, and I'm so happy it finally has. It is definitely worth seeing.

Average customer rating:

Fun Movie!
When is this being released on DVD?
Lived This Movie
DVD PLEASE!
life-time favourite

If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium
Starring: Suzanne Pleshette , Ian McShane , Mildred Natwick , Murray Hamilton , and Sandy Baron
Director: Mel Stuart
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

Baron, Sandy | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Britton, Pamela | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Cass, Peggy | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Constantine, Michael | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Fell, Norman | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Halpin, Luke | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Hamilton, Murray | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Ingels, Marty | ( I ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Natwick, Mildred | ( N ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Pleshette, Suzanne | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Routledge, Patricia | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | VHS | Video

Stuart, Mel | ( S ) | Directors | VHS | Video

The World of Henry Orient
Rome Adventure
Come September
That Girl - Season One
All the President's Men (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00004STCU
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Customer Reviews:

Fun Movie!.......2007-01-10

I have loved this movie since the first time I saw it, and although I had to pay more money for it because it's out of print for the moment, if, you can get a used vhs copy which I was able to purchase, I think it is worth it. It's a movie about a group of tourists on holiday in Europe, with Suzanne Pleshette, and Ian McShane as the main stars. It also has several other actors you may recognize.It has the song AL DI LA which was a super hit when the movie was released and the movie has comedy ,romance with a touch of drama thrown in and great scenery all in one.

When is this being released on DVD?.......2006-08-22

I saw this hilarious movie in the 60's and was wondering if anyone knew DVD release information? This movie as well as a few others from the 1970s would be wonderful on DVD.

Lived This Movie.......2005-10-01

As a child in the 1960's, my parents took my older brothers and I on a 3 week tour of Europe. The trip was just like the movie. We travelled first to England, and then by bus all over the continent, with people from all parts of America. My brothers and I were as bored as the teenage girl in the movie. Thankfully, I've returned to Europe many times, visited one country at a time and stayed in the finest hotels. This movie is a wonderful reminder of my first trip to Europe with my family, because everything about it is SO true. I want to own a copy of the film, but I am waiting for it to come out on DVD. Hopefully, it will be released on DVD very soon. I'm certain that it will be a big seller because millions of Americans have experienced Europe on bus tours, and can truly relate to the film.

DVD PLEASE!.......2005-09-22

This is a funny, entertaining movie in a way movies aren't made anymore. I can't wait for the DVD!

life-time favourite.......2005-06-26

I first saw this film when I was 11, right before my first trip to Europe. (And I think it's perfectly suitable for children, the only remotely sexual scene I remember is Suzanne Pleshette in Ian McShane's shirt, but even at the tender age of 11 I was cognizant that men and women on occasion slept together. The why, I didn't dwell on). (I'd rather my 9 year old saw that - don't see a problem there -, than saw a modern "children's" movie full of scary special effects).The movie is fun, sweet, easy and poignant. The music is great, Matt Munro I believe, and Donovan. The comic vignettes have been listed above, and they are all lovely. No throwaways, just perfect little character sketches. I especially loved Marty Ingals' character and the woman who gets on the wrong bus. I'm excited to see it listed on Amazon, as it's been too long since it came on t.v. I'm looking forward to be enchanted all over again (and reminded of how it got me started on my love of Europe, where I ended up living for 4 years, thanks in part to If this is Tuesday it Must Be Belguim (if this is Wednesday, it must be Rome, if this is real, I must be dreaming, can't wait to tell the folks back home).

Average customer rating:

Super Jerry Lewis movie
A jolly bad show
A Very Disappointing Jerry Lewis Film
Jerry Lewis the great in a mature responsible (?) role
A Low point for Jerry....

Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River
Starring: Nike Arrighi , John Barrard , Michael Bates , Pippa Benedict , and John Bluthal
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Which Way to the Front
The Delicate Delinquent
My Friend Irma/My Friend Irma Goes West
At War With the Army
The Family Jewels

ASIN: B00009MEKK
Release Date: 2003-07-08

Amazon.com

The opening sequence of Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River has a bowler-hatted Jerry Lewis mischievously striding (in his oddly graceful, loose-hipped way) along the streets of London. The spontaneous business he creates is, alas, the last bit of freshness in the movie, which quickly reverts to a painfully labored plot. Jerry is in Swinging London (wrap your mind around that), an entrepreneur who spends the entire film trying to make up to his estranged British wife for turning her family estate into a Chinese restaurant-discotheque. The story also involves Arab oil barons, Portuguese automobiles, and a philandering dentist. Lewis didn't direct himself in this one, which accounts for the off pacing and total lack of good visual gags. It was 1968, and his rapid decline from creative excellence (see The Ladies Man and The Nutty Professor) and box-office potency was already into its skid. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Super Jerry Lewis movie.......2006-06-22

I absolutely loved this movie.If you enjoy Jerry Lewis antics at their best then you'll love this movie.He was superb as a bumbling husband that does everything to impress his wife and make a fast buck.It was great!

A jolly bad show.......2005-11-19

With all the good Jerry Lewis comedies awaiting DVD release (and, yes, there are good ones), who greenlighted this loser? Hey, Columbia, why did you ignore the very funny THE BIG MOUTH and release this turkey instead? I don't get it (and in terms of a DVD purchase, I didn't). Even Jerry disowns this staggeringly unfunny farce about a wacky American loose in England, whose get-rich-quick schemes get him involved with a host of unsavory characters. No matter what side of the Atlantic you're on, this is a jolly bad show. I love Jerry, but this is the pits.

A Very Disappointing Jerry Lewis Film.......2005-05-30

In 1967, Jerry Lewis starred in what arguably may be his worst film ever: a little gem entitled "Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River". Directed by Jerry Paris (1925-1986) and based upon a novel of the same name by author Max Wilk, the film begins in London where Jerry Lewis plays an American entrepreneur named George Lester. He marries Pamela (Jacqueline Pearce) and whisks her away to various exotic locations for several years while trying to build a business of his own with the supposed financial assistance from a crooked British businessman named H. William Homer (Terry-Thomas, 1911-1990). Tired of living away from London, Pamela leaves George, who also returns to London. Without money and wanting to give Pamela a more permanent home, George comes up with an unusual business idea: he turns Pamela's inherited home into a Chinese restaurant/discothèque. Seeing what he's done to her house, Pamela threatens to have George thrown in jail and moves into a hotel. She then begins to have an affair with a wealthy British oilman named Dudley Heath (Nicholas Parsons), who has the plans for a revolutionary new oil drill. Thrown into this unusual story is a male flight attendant/auto-mechanic named Fred Davies (Bernard Cribbins) whom George had talked into selling Portuguese-made sports cars that nobody wants. Also thrown into the story is the leader of a British girl scouts troop named Lucille Beatty (Patricia Routledge, who may be best known for her title role as Hyacinth Bucket in the British TV sitcom "Keeping Up Appearances" that ran between 1990-1995).

Aside from a few funny scenes, such as Fred serving people on board the cheap airlines that he works for and scenes involving Lucille, the film staggers along and fails to sufficiently engage the audience or be truly funny. Overall, I cannot rate this film with a rating higher than 2 out of 5 stars and cannot recommend it. Had the film had better direction, it may have been far more entertaining and successful. Unfortunately, it was neither.

Jerry Lewis the great in a mature responsible (?) role.......2003-07-10

Jerry Lewis the great in a mature responsible (?) role or is it? Don't know what it is but this movie pulled it off very charmingly to become a classic hidden gem in comedy movies.
It was a pleasure to watch English actor Terry-Thomas, Patricia Routledge,(Keeping Up Appearances), one actor from Fawlty Towers and mature responsible (?) Jerry Lewis- always cooking up his next gig..
Hilarious comedy recommended for late night viewing so you don't miss out very intricate plot..:)

A Low point for Jerry...........2003-07-08

Don't Raise the Bridge....is one of the worst Jerry Lewis movies. It's 'plot' is plotless and the situation style comedy doesn't work for Jerry here.

Being released in 1968, this film appears to be Jerrys attempt to be more contemporary and click with theatre goers changing tastes in the late 60s. He was not really involved with the production as he was with the majority of his films. He has stated himself that he did this film for verteran TV director/actor Jerry Paris because it was financially appealing. The results are very uninspired.

This is not to say that Jerry can't be contemporary and he is a joy in a film like Three on a Couch, however this one is as much of a misfire as Way Way Out, Hook Line and Sinker, and Which Way to the Front?.....Hey, they can't ALL be good.

Hopefully Columbia will release the rest of his output and its kind of a shame that they chose this rather weak title as their first DVD release. The Big Mouth is a much funnier and better paced film and is easily the best film he made after 1965. Hopefully they aren't going to gague sales of this title as a determining factor for future releases as this one is IMO strictly for Jerry Lewis completists.

Hildegard von Bingen - In Portrait / Ordo Virtutum, Vox Animae, Patricia Routledge
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Hildegard in Brief

An Extraordinarily Beautiful Collection

Hildegard von Bingen - In Portrait / Ordo Virtutum, Vox Animae, Patricia Routledge
Starring: Hildegard Von Bingen , Patricia Routledge , and Vox Animae
Manufacturer: BBC / Opus Arte
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000TSRBU
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Description

Hildegard was a remarkable woman, a `first' in many fields. At a time when few women wrote, she produced major works of theology, music and visionary writings. She used the curative powers of music and natural objects for healing. She is the first composer whose biography is known. Her story is an inspirational account of an irresistible spirit and vibrant intellect overcoming social, physical, cultural, and gender barriers.

Customer Reviews:

Hildegard in Brief.......2005-09-11

This is a four part DVD set--one part dramatic vignette of a few scenes from Hildegard's life (very well acted), one part interviews with scholars of Hildegard, one part interpretations of her artwork in a classroom setting, and one part performance of her 'Ordo Virtutem.' Before purchasing this DVD, I recommend reading a biography of Hildegard. This DVD is not a documentary of her overall life and work. To be fair, Hildegard's work spanned so many disciplines, it would be a difficult task to address all in depth. I personally wished to see more about her spirituality, and how it was influenced by her music.

For those who are captivated by Hildegard, this DVD will fan your interest, but it's not the end of the road for serious seekers.

An Extraordinarily Beautiful Collection.......2003-12-11

In this 2-DVD set is collected several programs, from disparate sources and uniformly stunningly beautiful, centered on the life and work of the 12th-century saint, Hildegard of Bingen--poet, prophet, activist, musician, artist, mystic.

On DVD 1 is a 70-minute filmed version of her 'Ordo Virtutem' ('Ritual of Virtues') performed by a group of British singers/actors under the direction of Michael Fields and Evelyn Tubb; Ms Tubb portrays the central character, Anima (The Soul). It was shot in a the ruin of an abbey somewhere, I'd guess in England (although it might be Germany) and the visual effect is simply gorgeous. The 'staging' is hieratic, befitting the ritualistic nature of the chanting, and features individual singers for each of the Virtues (Humility, Knowledge of God, Charity, Fear of God, Obedience, Faith, Hope, etc.). Like a good opera or sacred oratorio, it tells of the moving story of the Soul's fight against the Devil with the aid of the Virtues.

Following that, on DVD 1, is a 45 minute conversation with and lecture by Matthew Fox, a well-known scholar of the life and works of Hildegard. Fox, a liberal theologian and Dominican priest who was silenced by the Vatican and later dismissed from his order, is now an Episcopal priest in California. His knowledge of Hildegard is second to none, and the interview and lecture are unfailingly fascinating.

On DVD 2 is a dramatization of Hildegard's life from the BBC. It features Patricia Routledge (best known to us Americans as Hyacinth Bucket on the BBC program, 'Keeping Up Appearances,' but for many years a serious actress) as the German abbess Hildegard. Again, the mise en scène is gorgeous, the acting beautifully done. The hour-long program portrays the highlights of Hildegard's life in scrupulous detail.

This is followed, on DVD 2, by a 50-minute documentary, with a good deal of music from the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., about Hildgard. It brings a different slant to the story, and makes use of meticulously researched and presented graphics from the period.

Finally, on DVD 2, is a 30-minute presentation, again by Matthew Fox, of art of the period that illustrates Hildegard's mystic visions.

I can't imagine anyone interested in Hildegard not wanting to own this set. The presentation is first-class and the material included is almost encyclopedic. The performances of the music is strikingly good.

Recommended.

Description

Poignant, funny, warm, tragic - the acclaimed monologues of Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George) crackle with wry observations, knowing irony and tender understanding. In superb performances, Patricia Routledge reaches beneath the surface to reveal unexpected secrets. In these compelling stories, what is left unsaid is almost as important as the most intimate revelation.

Customer Reviews:

This is a great Hyacinth collection.......2006-11-06

I have admired the acting of Patricia Routledge for many years. Her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket is another amazing aspect of her abilities as a great performer. We all know a Hyacinth who puts on the airs and aims for everything to be socially successful and by the book. But my heart has always been captured by her sister Daisy. Hyacinth is horrified by everything about Daisy, but Daisy is the good hearted, down to earth, and honest person who is not caught up in trying to act like something she is not. Great characters in a great series full of many laughs. I love it.

An absolute tour de force!.......2006-06-22

I already was familiar with Routledge from her television roles as Hyacinth Bucket and Hetty Wainthrope, but I hadn't realized what a great actress she was until I saw the three one-woman shows in this set. Absolutely incredible! I can understand how some might find it slow. There isn't any "action" or fast clip editing ... just profound character development which showcased the talent of both Routledge and playwright Alan Bennett.

I was greatly moved by all three portraits. My only disappointment was with a fourth "bonus" performance put on as an DVD extra. The writing and acting were both sensational, but I just didn't like the character Routledge played. But other than that, this was one of the best DVD performances I've ever watched.

very disappointed . . . to say the least.......2006-01-07

I am a fan of Patricia Routledge but have to say that I was very disappointed in Three Portraits. I had our book club over to review the DVD today and three of the five fell asleep in the middle -- and I was one of them. ZZZZZZZZZZZ! I was not a fan of the one-woman performance. I like her interaction with other actors much better.

Extraordinary Work By Alan Bennett And Patricia Routledge.......2005-08-18

"I can't say the service was up to scratch. It smacked of the conveyor belt. In fact, I wrote to the crematorium. I said I thought the hallmark of a ceremony of that nature was reverence, whereas the word that kept coming to my mind was 'brisk.' Moreover, I added, grief-stricken people do not expect to emerge from the chapel of rest to find grown men skulking in the rhododendron with tab ends in their mouths. If the hearse drivers must smoke, then facilities should be provided. I'd heard good things about this crematorium but I hoped that they would agree with me that on this occasion it had let itself down." And with that, Miss Ruddock, a lonely middle-aged woman, has written another of her many letters. Soon, her letters will change her life, and not for the better.

This is one of three, 30-minute monologues written by Alan Bennett for Patricia Routledge. They are part of a series of monologues Bennett wrote for the BBC under the title Talking Heads and Talking Heads II. This excerpt is from A Lady of Letters. Another on this disc is A Woman of No Importance, where Miss Schofield is late to lunch and visits her doctor. The third is Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet. Miss Fozzard works in a department store and finds her life changed when her brother has a stroke. It changes even more when she visits a chiropodist.

In my view, Bennett is one of Britain's great playwrights to emerge in the second half of the twentieth century. His Talking Heads series may seem like an interminable idea...actors playing characters who relate their stories while talking to the camera for thirty minutes each. In fact, these stories are engrossing. If you enjoy writing that can be funny and tragic at the same time, give these a try. Bennett's characters most often are people wrapped up in their own lives, sometimes complacent, constrained by what they believe is proper behavior, often oblivious to what others think of them or how conditions are changing around them. They are people you might not like at first, or may feel pity for, but who, as they tell their stories, become touching and often sad.

Bennett's stories wouldn't work, however, unless he had extraordinary actors to use. Patricia Routledge probably is best known in the United States as Hyacinth Bucket and Hetty Wainthropp on television. She's a versatile actress who has won just about every award there is in Britain. She does a wonderful job of letting us know each of these different women. Miss Schofield comes close to heartbreaking as she keeps her illlusions. Miss Ruddock is exasperating and then almost tragic. Miss Fozzard fares the best, but is unsettled. "I've never had the knack of making things happen," she says. "I thought things happened or they didn't. Which is to say, they didn't. Only now they have. Sort of."

The three monologues were recorded over a span of more than ten years. The color looks good and the pictures are crisp. As extras there is a short television play by Bennett from 1982 with Routledge and a BBC interview featuring both Bennett and Routledge.

Great performances........2005-03-17

Many of my of you state side will no doubt recognise Miss Routledge form "Kepping up Appearances" in which she played the social climbing Hyacinth Bucket "Bouquet". These poignant and touching monologues demonstrate the range of her acting skill.
Originally shown as part of a series called, "Talking Heads" and "Talking Heads 2", they are enthralling works.
I would recommend you see all these works featuring other actors such as the late Thora Hird, Penelope Wilton and Julie Walters. The plays were considered so good and important, they now feature on the national school circulum in England for English studies.

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