Warner Archive Collection New Releases: The Right Week for the Wrong Man

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THE WRONG MAN (1956) on Blu-ray! Between two of his most colorful and sweeping widescreen suspensers, Alfred Hitchcock took a palette cleansing break to produce one of his most unusual, and striking, motion pictures. Based on a true story, Hitchcock gave up his normal “slice of cake” approach to cinema for stark slice-of-life terror shot on location in verite-conveying grainy Black & White. Henry Fonda, in his only collaboration with Hitchcock, plays night club bassman Manny Balestrero whose life is upended when he is mistaken for a criminal. Swept up in the system, Manny bares dumbfounded witness (thanks to Fonda’s remarkable buttoned-down performance) to the machineries of the bureaucracies of justice as they grind him down and set him up. Robert Burk’s equally remarkable camerawork confines and badgers Manny and his wife (Vera Miles), making the viewer complicit in the miscarriage. Something of a sleeper in the Master of Suspense’s’ auteur oeuvre, the sublime qualities of The Wrong Man caused the film’s reputation to continually rise in the decades since its release and shine forth thanks to this presentation’s new master on 1080p HD. Special Features include the original theatrical trailer (HD), “Guilt Trip: Hitchcock” and The Wrong Man featurette. 16×9 Widescreen

NIGHT WILL FALL (2014) When Allied forces liberated the Nazi concentration camps, their terrible discoveries were recorded by army cameramen which revealed the horror of what had happened. In this intimate and emotional film we meet the cameramen and the survivors who participated in the original documentary and tell their unforgettable stories for the first time. The Ministry of Information’s Sidney Bernstein collaborated with Alfred Hitchcock to make a documentary that was to provide undeniable proof that these frightful crimes actually happened. For a number of reasons that Andre Singer’s powerful film explores the film was ultimately shelved and languished in British archives for years until the Imperial War Museum completed the film in 2014. A RatPac Documentary Films Presentation, produced by Sally Angel and Brett Ratner. 16×9 Widescreen

International Men of Adventure

SIERRA PASSAGE (1950) Wayne Morris makes his Monogram debut as Johnny Yorke, a Minstrel show sharp-shooter with a secret – he’s on a quest for murderous vengeance! Orphaned by a trio a cowboy cretins led by a stubfinger cackling sadist (Alan Hale, Jr), young Johnny Yorke (Billy Gray) is taken in by Thad Kring (Lloyd Corrigan) and his minstrel show, where he is trained in the ways of greasepaint, show tunes, and trick shots. When a honey-voiced chanteuse (Lola Albright) joins the show, Johnny must learn if there is room in his heart for more than murder. Also starring Roland Winter. Directed by Frank McDonald.

ARCTIC FLIGHT (1952) The Cold War goes sub-zero in this rugged men’s aviation adventure set at the northernmost edge of freedom. Mike Wein (Wayne Morris) is an affable aviator working as a Bering Sea bush pilot when he is tasked with delivering a schoolteacher (Lola Albright) to the town where you can see Russia from there. Knowing the Snow Soviets are not to be trusted, Mike takes the teacher the long way while schooling her on the finer points of Arctic geography. It’s a good thing he’s got a wealthy American (Alan Hale, Jr.) booked for an aerial hunting trip when he gets back… Directed by the dependable and prolific Lew Landers.

DESERT PURSUIT (1952) Wayne Morris leads us way-off-the-beaten path in this Death Valley cat-and-mouse drama. Thanks to a lovable old coot’s (Emmett Lynn) loose lips, affable prospector Ford Smith (Morris) gets a little vinegar when he hears tell of a trio of Arabs on Camels intend to bushwhack him. Picking up a wayward casino gal (Virginia Grey), Ford sets out on a desperate trek for San Berdoo…with Christmas nigh and the unholy Magi (George Tobias, Anthony Caruso, John Doucette) on his heels. Directed by George Blair.

THE DESPERADO (1954) Wayne Morris stars as affable-but-deadly gunslinger Sam Garrett in this tale of desperate justice under the boot heels of the carpetbaggers. As the Bluebellies oppress the poor freedom-loving people of Texas, young Tom Cameron (James Lydon) flees to the badlands where he comes under the tutelage of the notorious killer, Sam Garrett. As Tom is taught to wield a gun, Sam teaches him lesson number one – don’t stick your neck out for anyone. So when Tom gets backstabbed and framed, it’s too bad that Sam is his only hope… Also starring Beverly Garland, and Lee Van Cleef playing evil twins!

MEXICAN MANHUNT (1953) George Brent ends his leading man career on a high note with this nifty, compact, lean and mean on-location crime drama. When on-the-lam (13 years and counting) crime reporter Tip Morgan (Morris Ankrum) gets diagnosed with a bad ticker, he sends for ace True Crime novelist David Brady (Brent) to return him and his daughter (Karen Sharpe) north of the border. Once back in Los Angeles, Tip will reveal what sinister force sent him south all those years ago. But those forces will do anything to stop this border crossing… Directed by Rex Bailey.

 
NOTE: These DVDs are Manufactured on Demand (MOD); to order, fans must visit The Warner Archive Collection, WB Shop.com, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

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