Warner Archive Collection New Releases: April 28
Escape from East Berlin
When his friend Gunther Jurgena attempts to break out of East Germany by crashing his truck through the Berlin Wall, Kurt Schröder (Don Murray) watches in horror as he is shot dead by the border guards. So when Gunther’s sister Erika (Christine Kaufmann) follows her brother and barely escapes the same fate, Kurt offers to help. Aided by 26 family members and neighbors who also wish to defect, Kurt tunnels under the Wall, unaware that Erika’s parents have betrayed them and that armed troops are about to move in. Based on an actual mass breakout attempt that occurred in January 1962, Escape from East Berlin is a masterful tale of thrills and suspense from Robert Siodmak, the director of The Killers and Criss Cross.
Every Little Crook and Nanny
A vengeful nanny takes on the Mob in this zany farce starring Lynn Redgrave and Victor Mature in his last leading role. Nobody would be crazy enough to do something to Carmine Ganucci’s kid. But when the Mafia chief (Mature) evicts Miss Pool (Redgrave) so he can turn her etiquette school into a bookie join, he mistakenly thinks she’s a nanny and hires her to take care of his son. Snatching the boy while Ganucci’s away, Miss Pool plans to restart her school with the ransom, but complications ensue when a low-level hood (Paul Sand) keeps the Don in the dark and fails to make good on the payoff. Costarring an all-star lineup of comics including John Astin, Dom DeLuise, Austin Pendleton, Pat Morita, Phi Foster, Pat Harrington Jr., Isabel Sanford and Vic Tayback, Every Little Crook and Nanny was cowritten by Weekend at Bernie’s Robert Klane, based on the novel by Evan Hunter.
Kid Glove Killer
Four-time Academy Award® winner* Fred Zinnemann makes his feature film directorial debut in this “taut and suspenseful” (The Motion Picture Guide) police procedural starring Oscar® winner Van Heflin (Supporting Actor, Johnny Eager, 1942) in his first leading role. When ambitious attorney Jerry Ladimer (Lee Bowman) makes a deal with a gangster for future political favors, his first order of business is to kill the DA, a reformer who vowed to wipe out the rackets. Appointed special prosecutor, Ladimer keeps tabs on forensic scientist Gordon McKay (Heflin), whose crime lab gathers the clues. So when the mayor (Samuel S. Hinds) begins to suspect the truth and is murdered before he can act, McKay digs up evidence that will lead to the lawyer, unless Ladimer can rub him out first.
Scorpio Letter
Who is Scorpio and what’s his connection to the suicide of a British spy? These are the questions Joe Christopher (Alex Cord, TV’s Airwolf) has been hired to answer. Working for one of England’s Intelligence Services, the American ex-cop discovers Scorpio is an extortionist who pressured the agent into taking his life. Teamed with rival operative Phoebe Stewart (Shirley Eaton, Goldfinger), Christopher sets out to smash Scorpio’s operation, unaware that the blackmailer knows of their plans and intends to strike the fatal blow first. Based on the novel by Victor Canning, The Scorpio Letters was directed by M-G-M veteran Richard Thorpe (Ivanhoe) and scored by future Oscar® winner Dave Grusin (Original Score, The Milagro Benfield War, 1988) in his feature film debut.
Dr. Kildare: The Complete Fourth Season
As James Kildare, M.D. (Richard Chamberlain) lends his hard-won experience and insights into the cases that come into his care, aided by the sage counsel of Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Raymond Massey), the series ups the ante with some surprising complications while continuing to deliver an all-star line-up of guest stars. This 8-Disc, 34-Episode Collection starts with a stand-out performance by Walter Matthau as a salesman facing death. Kim Darby, Lee Marvin, Ron Howard, Robert Young, and Robert Culp all pay visits to Blair General, while Leslie Nielsen and Angie Dickinson guest for a multi-part arc that paints a prescient portrait of sexual addiction. And legendary tunesmiths Burt Bacharach and Hal David pen the title theme for “Rome Will Never Leave You”, a special three-part episode that sees Kildare and Gillespie battling cancer and heartbreak in Rome along with Ramon Novarro, Mercedes McCambridge, Daniela Bianchi and Alida Valli.
NOTE: These DVDs are Manufactured on Demand (MOD); to order, fans must visit The Warner Archive Collection, WB Shop.com, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
