Warner Archive Collection New Releases: A Mighty Goldwyn-a-palooza!
A MIGHTY WIND (2003) on Blu-ray Christopher Guest got the band back together once again for this sweet and silly send-up of the self-righteous, sleeve-heartin’ troubadours known as folk musicians. After the death of legendary folk impresario Irving Steinbloom his children seek to stage a tribute concert featuring his three most famous groups: The Folksmen (Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean), The New Main Street Singers (Paul Dooley, John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch and Parker Posey) and Mitch & Mickey (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara). But a lot of water has flown under the bridge since the Age of Aquarius, and this reunion might not be all father and son. Also starring Fred Willard, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr, and Jennifer Coolidge. See it – and most importantly hear it – as never before in this lossless 1080p HD presentation. Directed by Christopher Guest. Special features include: Commentary by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy; additional scenes; live TV broadcast of the concert; vintage TV appearances of the bands and the entire climactic benefit show in its entirety. 16×9 Widescreen
Samuel Goldwyn Classics
THESE THREE (1936) Although Lillian Hellman’s groundbreaking drama The Children’s Hour involved content (rumors of a lesbian affair between two schoolteachers) that challenged the laws of New York State, producer Samuel Goldwyn knew it would not arrive on the screen as-is – but luckily he had Ms. Hellman herself on hand to deliver a modified adaptation that remained focused on the destructive power of rumor and innuendo. Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon play the schoolteachers, Joel McCrea plays the scandal, while a young Bonita Granville delivers a terrifying tour-de-force as the bad gal rumormonger. After college galpals (Hopkins and Oberon) set up schoolteaching shop in the town of Lancet, Mass. they’re bedazzled by local doc Joe Cardin (McCrea). Their school gets the boost it needs when they enroll local society scioness Mary Tilford (Granville), but Mary proves to be a viper whose lies poison the town against the three. Directed by William Wyler. New to DVD!
THE COWBOY AND THE LADY (1938) Merle Oberon goes the royalty-in-disguise route for this rousing rodeo romance alongside a rollicking and real-sincere Gary Cooper, whose gifts for gentle character comedy are on ample display. Poor little rich girl Mary Smith may as well live in a convent for all the socializing her conservative presidential hopeful father (Henry Kolker) affords her. So when she heads down to their Palm Beach estate she decides to go slumming with the servants. Disguised as her own maid, Mary meets cowpoke Stretch Willoughby (Gary Cooper), a too-tall glass of water whose just the drink she’s been searching for… but how’s Stretch going to take to an honest lass met under dishonest circumstance? With Patsy Kelly, Mabel Todd, Fuzzy Knight, Walter Brennan and Harry Davenport. Directed by H.C. Potter. Back in Print!
THE REAL GLORY (1939) Gary Cooper leads an all-star assemblage in a rousing war tale whose subject matter is as resonant now as it was then (sadly). It’s 1906 and following the Spanish-American War, a small team of military advisors is tasked with training the locals up to strength to defend against the terrors of the Moro tribesmen as the US forces start to withdraw. But the Moro leader Alipang (Tetsu Komai) is as smart as he is sinister, and he plays a long game of attrition picking the GI’s off one-by-one, while leading them into his jungle trap. As the leaders fall, command descends on a military doctor, Bill Canavan (Cooper), and a young lieutenant, the aptly named Terry McCool (David Niven), who hatch a daring plan to save the locals caught between an order and chaos. With Reginald Owen, Broderick Crawford, Russell Hicks, and Andrea Leeds. Directed by Henry Hathaway. Back in Print!
MY FOOLISH HEART (1949) J.D. Salinger’s “Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut” provides the basis for this romantic drama of regret and reconciliation set in the gin-soaked ‘burbs. A reunion between two college friends, Mary Jane (Lois Wheeler) and Eloise (Susan Hayward) unleashes a torrent of emotion as Eloise seeks solace in one too many sips. Daughter Ramona (Gigi Perreau) tiptoes around her mother’s emotional minefield, while Eloise’s husband Lew arrives home to announce that the marriage is finished. It seems that once upon a time Lew was engaged to Mary Jane, and therein hangs a tale – a tale that starts when nice college girl Eloise meets dashing bon vivant Walt (Dana Andrews). Screenplay by Julius and Philip Epstein. Directed by Mark Robson. New to DVD!
EDGE OF DOOM (1950) Dana Andrews plays a priest delivering a most unusual sermon to a younger cleric whose faith is beset by the physical and spiritual conditions of their urban parish. Farley Granger provides the meat of that sermon as Martin Lynn, just another disadvantaged cog in the indifferent city, doing his best to provide for his ailing mom and do right by his gal Rita when it all reaches a tragic breaking point. Careening from mistake to mistake, Marty raises the stakes to ever higher tragic consequences until the priest bears witness to a man crashing up against his own conscience. A terrific slice of ‘salvation noir’ Granger and Andrews takes us through the shadows to show us the light. Directed by Mark Robson. New to DVD!
NOTE: These DVDs are Manufactured on Demand (MOD); to order, fans must visit The Warner Archive Collection, WB Shop.com, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
