Warner Archive Collection Nov. 11 Releases: Calling Dr. Gillespie & Martin and Lewis

 

Calling Dr. Gillespie!

DR. GILLESPIE FILM COLLECTION (1942-47) After losing Lew Ayres’ Dr.Kildare, MGM¹s hit medical series soldiered on under the curmudgeonly guidance of series constant Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie and the hard-working staff of Blair General Hospital. New interns (Van Johnson and Keye Luke), old friends (Alma Kruger and Nat Pendleton) and visiting doctors (Philip Dorn and James Craig) all assist Dr. Gillespie in his efforts to cure a suddenly crazed fiancé, cure a clothes designer¹s amnesia, battle an epidemic in the children¹s ward, cure arthritis, tackle anorexia, and confront a neuro-psychotic small-town beauty. A who¹s-who of the tiffany studio¹s up and comers are on hand to help with the rounds, including Donna Reed, Ava Gardner, Margaret O¹Brien, Susan Peters, Gloria DeHaven and Marilyn Maxwell. This 3-Disc, 6 Film Collection includes Calling Dr. Gillespie (1942), Dr. Gillespie’s New Assistant (1942), Dr. Gillespie’s Criminal Case (1943), Three Men in White (1944), Between Two Women (1945) and Dark Delusion (1947).

Post-War Blues

TILL THE END OF TIME (1946) Guy Madison, Robert Mitchum and Bill Williams play a trio of Marines, fresh from the horrors of World War II, who find life back on the homefront a haunting challenge. Some of their wounds are visible, some skin deep, and some buried so far down, they may be beyond treatment. While Madison’s Marine struggles with reclaiming his lost years, he is torn between temptations of innocence (Jean Porter) and experience (Dorothy McGuire). While Mitchum’s Marine carries a steel plate in his head and some bad debt, William’s Marine cannot come to grips with his new, legless reality. Together and separately the three try to fight their way back to the world after the scouring crucible of war. Mitchum’s measured performance, layering macho insouciance over inner fragility, helped vault him to superstar status. Directed by Edward Dmytryk.

Paramount Back in Print

THE DEAN MARTIN AND JERRY LEWIS COLLECTION, VOLUME ONE (1949-53) Arguably the most successful comedy duo of all time, Martin and Lewis conquered stage, radio, TV, and the silver screen in a near score of comedy classics as Paramount players. These two volumes chart that run, presenting the lion’s share of these films. Long out-of-print, these volumes make a welcome return in time for the holidays! This 4-Disc Comedy Collection features:

• My Friend Irma (1949) The hit radio sit-com starring Marie Wilson makes the big screen jump and picks up a couple of clowns who make their big screen debut.
• My Friend Irma Goes West (1950) This sequel starts where Irma left off, and sees Martin¹s character get discovered and drag the whole gang to Tinsel Town.
• That’s My Boy (1951) This first headlining Martin and Lewis feature takes the duo out of their nightclub act and into full character roles. Lewis plays a proto-geek attempting to escape parental athletic expectations, and Martin plays the man tasked with coaching the kid.
• Sailor Beware (1952) A pair of Naval recruits gets wrapped up in an intercontinental kissing contest.
• Jumping Jacks (1952) Lewis becomes an accidental paratrooper after trying to help out army pal Martin with an act.
• The Stooge (1952) Lewis plays a “stooge” pegged to goose Martin’s solo act but becomes an accidental superstar.
• Scared Stiff (1953) Carmen Miranda’s final film sees Martin and Lewis on the lam and busting ghosts.
• The Caddy (1953) Lewis defies parental expectation by coaching Martin to golf stardom.

 

THE DEAN MARTIN AND JERRY LEWIS COLLECTION, VOLUME TWO (1954-56) This 3-Disc Comedy Collection includes:

• Living It Up (1954) Lewis pretends he¹s sick in order to get a free trip to New York in Norman Taurog¹s remake of Ben Hecht’s Nothing Sacred with Martin and Lewis in the March and Lombard roles.
• You’re Never Too Young (1955) Jerry hides out as a 12 year-old boy when he and Dean take a stroll down The Major and the Minor lane.
• Artists and Models (1955) Animator-turned-live-action-man Frank Tashlin begins his celebrated series of collaborations with this serio-comic look at the comic book scare of the 1950s. Features a very young Shirley MacLaine.
• Pardners (1956) Martin and Lewis play a pair of Western sons out to avenge their Pas’ murders.
• Hollywood or Bust (1956) A sap and a grifter both win claim to the same car, so it’s time to head out west.

HERE COMES THE GROOM/JUST FOR YOU DOUBLE FEATURE (1951,1952) Bing Crosby double feature co-stars Jane Wyman. Just for You sees Bing play an widowed Broadway producer/ songwriter taking care of two children (Robert Arthur and Natalie Wood) who ends up in a romantic rivalry – with his own son! Also stars Ethel Barrymore. Frank Capra directs Here Comes the Groom with Bing as a reporter who must marry his ex-fiancee in a hurry, or lose the two war orphans he adopted. But it¹s too bad she’s engaged to Franchot Tone!

THE FAN (1981) Lauen Bacall and James Garner star in this hybrid genre mash-up of the pseudo-bio and the slasher flick. Bacall plays a superstar who has journeyed from screen to stage, and now stalked by a crazed fan (Michale Biehn) at the height of her Broadway success. Also stars Maureen Stapleton and Hector Elizondo.

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