Homer Smith an itinerant handyman is driving through the Arizona desert when he meets five impoverished nuns. Stopping to fix their leaky farmhouse roof Homer discovers that not only will the Mother Superior not pay him for the job but she also wants him to build their chapel - for free! Hesitant at first Homer soon finds himself single-handedly raising the chapel and the financing. But although he will not receive monetary reward Homer knows that when his work is done he'll
The title of 1969's Carry On Again Doctor says it all; almost the same cast playing similar characters to their previous year's outing in Carry On Doctor. This one rejoices in the alternative title "Bowels are Ringing". But the enduring popularity of these films owes almost everything to their basic formula and if it occasionally seems a bit cobbled together, all the old favourites are still here. This time, the setting moves from the National Health Service to the private sector and even stretches as far as the "Beatific Islands" when Jim Dale is exiled to a missionary clinic for his overzealous attention to the female patients--who include Barbara Windsor of course. There, orderly Sid James rules the roost of the clinic with his harem of local women. Trivia addicts can spot Mrs Michael Caine in a brief role as a token dusky maiden. The second half of the Talbot Rothwell script picks up nicely as the characters converge on the private hospital back in England where Dale rakes in the money with a bogus weight loss treatment. Hattie Jacques is in fine form as Matron, Kenneth Williams fascinates with his usual mass of mannerisms and Joan Sims is stately as the Lady Bountiful figure financing most of the shenanigans. It's a tribute to their professionalism that we can still lose ourselves in some of the creakiest old jokes around. --Piers Ford
Directed by Charles Crichton, who would much later direct John Cleese in A Fish Called Wanda (1988), 1951's The Lavender Hill Mob is the most ruefully thrilling of the Ealing Comedies. Alec Guinness plays a bowler-hatted escort of bullion to the refineries. His seeming timidity, weak 'r's and punctiliousness mask a typically Guinness-like patient cunning. "I was aware I was widiculed but that was pwecisely the effect I was stwiving to achieve". He's actually plotting a heist. With more conventionally cockney villains Sid James and Alfie Bass in tow, as well as the respectable but ruined Stanley Holloway, Guinness' perfect criminal plan works in exquisite detail, then unravels just as exquisitely, culminating in a nail-biting police car chase in which you can't help rooting for the villains. The Lavender Hill Mob depicts a London still up to its knees in rubble from World War II, a world of new hope but continued austerity, a budding new order in which everything seems up for grabs; as such it could be regarded as a lighter hearted cinematic cousin to Carol Reed's 1949 masterpiece The Third Man. The Lavender Hill Mob also sees the first, fleeting on-screen appearance of Audrey Hepburn in the opening sequence. --David Stubbs
A pivotal early film in the wave of racially progressive dramas of the 1950s and 60s, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's No Way Out is an electrifying film-noir about a doctor whose ethics are put to the test when he comes into conflict with a racist criminal. Dr. Luther Brooks (Sidney Poitier; The Defiant Ones) is assigned to treat two prisoners, the Biddle brothers, who were shot during an attempted robbery. Ray Biddle (Richard Widmark; Kiss of Death, Twilight's Last Gleaming) refuses to be treated by the black doctor, and when his brother John dies under Luther's care, Ray becomes consumed with vengeance. His anger and hatred ignites racial tensions within the community, and events quickly spiral out of control. Released during the early days of the civil rights movement, No Way Out received critical acclaim but faced censorship for many years due to its incendiary nature. It has since been recognised as one of Joseph L. Mankiewicz's greatest filmmaking achievements. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present No Way Out for the first time ever on Blu-ray (and in its debut on UK home video) in a special Dual Format edition. Features: 1080p presentation of the film on Blu-ray, with a progressive encode on the DVD LPCM mono soundtrack (Uncompressed on the Blu-ray) Optional English subtitles Audio Commentary by film noir historian Eddie Muller Archival Fox Movietone Newsreels Original theatrical trailer A collector's booklet featuring a new essay by Glenn Kenny Reversible Sleeve
Best known for its life-affirming lessons and heartwarming adventures. Little House On The Prairie made its TV debut in 1974 and significantly altered the landscape of television. Loyal fans will relive these exciting and touching adventures while new viewers will discover the Ingalls' unconquerable courage to build a new way of life. The series nominated for 17 Emmy Awards and 3 Golden Globes has become a TV milestone.
In 1971 when Carry On at Your Convenience hit our screens, the series had long since become part of the fabric of British popular entertainment. Never mind the situation, the characters were essentially the same, film after film. The jokes were all as old as the hills, but nobody cared, they were still funny. But it's just too easy to treat them as a job lot of postcard humour and music hall innuendo. This tale of revolt at a sanitary ware factory--Boggs and Son, what else?--certainly chimed in with the state of the nation in the early 1970s when strikes were called at the drop of a hat. Here, tea urns, demarcation and the company's decision to branch out into bidets all wreak havoc. Kenneth Williams as the company's besieged managing director, Sidney James and Joan Sims give their all as usual, but it's the lesser roles that really add some lustre. Hattie Jacques as Sid's budgerigar-obsessed, sluggish put-upon wife and Renee Houston as a superbly domineering battleaxe with a penchant for strip poker remind us that in the hands of fine actors, even the laziest of caricatures become real human beings. --Piers Ford
All four made-for-TV Christmas specials from the 'Carry On' crew. 'Carry On Christmas' (1969) is a reworking of Charles Dickens' classic 'A Christmas Carol' while 'Carry On Again Christmas' (1970) is a new take on 'Treasure Island'. In 'Carry On Stuffing' (1972), the cast recreate a bawdy version of the classic panto 'Aladdin', and in 'Carry On Christmas' (1973), a saucy department store Santa wonders how Christmas has been celebrated through the ages. The cast includes Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Frankie Howerd, Terry Scott, Charles Hawtrey, Bernard Bresslaw and Kenneth Connor.
Addiction, nonmonogamy, and female sexual liberation: decades before such ideas were widely discussed, DOROTHY ARZNER (Dance, Girl, Dance), the only woman to work as a director in 1930s Hollywood, brought them to the screen with striking frankness, sophistication, and wita mature treatment that stands out even in the pre-Code era. A Star Is Born's FREDRIC MARCH (in one of four collaborations with Arzner) and SYLVIA SIDNEY (Sabotage) turn in extraordinary performances as the urbane couple whose relationship is pushed to the breaking point by his alcoholism and wandering eyeleading them into an emotionally explosive experiment with an open marriage. Exposing the hypocrisies and petty cruelties simmering beneath the surface of high-society elegance, Merrily We Go to Hell is a scathing early feminist commentary on modern marriage. Special Features: New, restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack Dorothy Arzner: Longing for Women, a 1983 documentary by Katja Raganelli and Konrad Wickler New video essay by film historian Cari Beauchamp English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing PLUS: An essay by film scholar Judith Mayne
Stanley Kramer's ground-breaking film starring Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier... Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Stanley Kramer s The Defiant Ones broke new ground by delivering its message of racial tolerance through a fast-moving blend of action and suspense. It remains a raw, powerful film that is as exciting as it is moving, real and literate. John Joker Jackson (Tony Curtis;The Vikings, Some Like It Hot) and Noah Cullen (Sidney Poitier; Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night) are two convicts on the run. Escaping from a Southern work gang, the two men are bound together by an unbreakable iron chain and separated by an unbridled hatred towards each other. Relentlessly pursued by a bloodthirsty posse, they must put aside their differences if they are going to survive. Highly acclaimed upon release for its directing, writing, cinematography and acting, (Sidney Poitier won numerous awards for his role, including the coveted Silver Bear for Best Actor) The Defiant Ones remains one of the most influential films of its era, and Eureka Classics is proud to present the film on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK in a special Dual Format edition. DUAL FORMAT SPECIAL FEATURES: 1080p presentation of the film on Blu-ray, with a progressive encode on the DVD Uncompressed LPCM audio (on the Blu-ray) Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing A new video interview with critic & author Kim Newman Original theatrical trailer
Bedpan humour rules in Carry On Doctor, the vintage 1968 offering from gang, assisted by guest star Frankie Howerd as bogus faith healer Francis Bigger. Hospitals, of course, always provided the Carry On producers with plenty of material. Today, these comedies induce a twinge of serious nostalgia for the great days of the National Health Service when Matron (Hattie Jacques, naturally) ran the hospital as if it was a house of correction, medical professionals were idolised as if they were all Doctor Kildare and Accident and Emergency Departments were deserted oases of calm. But even if you aren't interested in a history lesson, Talbot Rothwell's script contains some immortal dialogue, particularly when Matron loosens her stays. "You may not realise it but I was once a weak man", says Kenneth Williams' terrified Doctor Tinkle to Hattie Jacques. "Once a week's enough for any man", she purrs back. Other highlights include Joan Sims, excellent as Frankie Howerd's deaf, bespectacled sidekick, Charles Hawtrey suffering from a phantom pregnancy, 1960s singer Anita Harris in a rare film role, and Barbara Windsor at her most irrepressible as nurse Sandra May. --Piers Ford
Hattie Jacques finally got to the play the title role in 1972 when Carry On Matron immortalised the character she had developed during several previous outings, most notably in Carry On Doctor. And she seized it with gusto. This is no one-dimensional performance, but a very human portrait of a woman doing her best to retain her authority in the face of mounting chaos--a raid planned by Sid James to steal the hospital's supply of contraceptive pills. Certainly, she's obsessed with regular bowel movements--this wouldn't be a Carry On film otherwise--but she remains a majestic figure of dignity with a touch of human warmth. Occasionally, too, a real hint of irony peeks through the slapstick and the innuendo. Surely scriptwriter Talbot Rothwell had his tongue lodged firmly in his cheek when he gave Barbara Windsor--then married to Ronnie Knight--the line, "I don't fancy being a gangster's moll!" Terry Scott makes a guest appearance and Sid James is at his most conniving and lecherous. Theatre impresario Bill Kenwright has a cameo role and there's an early appearance from Wendy Richard as a prototype Pauline Fowler. But it's the female stalwarts who shine. Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques were truly comic actresses of the highest order. --Piers Ford
Tony Hancock has been voted Britain's best ever comedy performer thirty-five years after his premature death in 1968. This DVD contains the remaining episodes from Series 2 and Series 3 plus a Christmas Special. Episodes from Series 2: 1. The Alpine Holiday Episodes from Series 3: 1. Air Steward Hancock The Last Of The Many 2. The Lawyer: The Crown vs Sidney James 3. Competitions: How To Win Money And Influence People 4. There's An Airfield At The Bottom Of My Garden The Christmas
Concieved in terror. Born in fear. The chilling classic that birthed a new direction in horror, based on the bestseller by Ira Levin and produced by William Castle. Newlywed Rosemary (Mia Farrow) has no idea that her wedded bliss is about to come to a horrific end. After she becomes pregnant, her husband becomes odd, her neighbours (Sidney Blackmer and Oscar winner Ruth Gordon) border on obsessive, and her normal life turns into a surreal nightmare. Slowly, she begins to realise that a seed of evil has been planted and she is its host. Product Features Rosemarys Baby A Retrospective Mia and Roman Theatrical Trailer 50th Anniversary Redband Trailer
What's a Yuppie ghost couple (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) to do when their quaint New England home is overrun by trendy New Yorkers? Hire a freelance bio-exorcist to spook the intruders, of course. As directed by Time Burton, Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice is one of the biggest, baddest wolves a ghost movie has ever unleashed, a polter-gas (The Village Voice). Special Features: Three hilarious episodes from the Animated Beetlejuice Series: Ah Ha!, Skeletons in the Closet, Spooky Boo- Tique Threatrical Trailer. Music track only.
This 1958 variation on Huck Finn's adventures with Jim finds a white convict (Tony Curtis) chained to a black convict (Sidney Poitier) as they both escape their captors. With each man literally stuck with the other, racial conflicts take a back seat to survival. Directed by Stanley Kramer (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner), the film's obvious consciousness-raising is mitigated by a pair of raw performances from the stars, memorable appearances by Lon Chaney Jr. and Cara Williams, and Kramer's strong storytelling abilities. The Defiant Ones' award-winning script was cowritten by blacklisted writer-actor Nedrick Young. --Tom Keogh
Newspaper editor Nick Condon (James Cagney) is the crusading chief of the Tokyo Chronicle in 1920s Japan. He has his suspicions about Japanese plans for future expansion suspicions that are confirmed when he runs an article accusing Japanese Premier Tanaka (John Emery) and Colonel Tojo (Robert Armstrong) of planning world conquest and gets a visit from the Imperial Police. Then one of his reporters Ollie Miller (Wallace Ford) and his wife Edith (Rosemary DeCamp) are murdered shortly
American screen siren Hillary Brooke is a consummate femme fatale in this British noir thriller of 1954 – an early feature by Emmy-winning writer-director Ken Hughes (adapting his own novel High Wray) and one of a series of now highly regarded B-movies jointly financed by Hammer Films and American producer Robert L. Lippert. Co-starring Alan Wheatley – soon to feature in an enduring TV role as the Sheriff of Nottingham in The Adventures of Robin Hood – and a pre-Carry On Sid James The House Across the Lake (a.k.a. Heat Wave) is presented in a brand new transfer from original film elements in its original aspect ratio. The bungalow which author Mark Kenrick has rented to toil over his new novel is quiet but for the sounds coming from a lively party across the lake at the exclusive home of Beverley Forrest and his young ex-model wife Carol. When she calls Mark to ask if he would collect some stranded guests he obliges but is shocked to find that Carol is both calculating and manipulative... and he is about to find out just how far she is prepared to go in order to get what she wants! Special Features: Image gallery Original Theatrical trailer
Rosemary's Baby: Like most first time mothers Rosemary experiences confusion and fear. Her husband an ambitious but unsuccessful actor makes a pact with the devil that promises to send his career skyward... Possibly the best horror film ever made this brilliant adaptation of Ira Levin's best-selling novel is the story of a loving young New York city couple who are experiencing their first child. Director Roman Polanski elicits uniformly extraordinary performances from the all-star cast. Ruth Gordon won an Oscar for her performance as an oversolicitous next-door neighbour in this classic chiller. Chinatown: Jack Nicholson is private eye Jake Gittes living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked pre-war Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together for one unforgettable night in ... Chinatown. The Tenant Roman: Polanski directs and stars as Trelkovsky an expatriate Pole in Paris who takes over the lease of a gloomy apartment and comes to believe that the other tenants in the block are conspiring to drive him to kill himself. The real or imagined conspiracy is supported by the suicide of the previous tenant. Trelkovsky finds himself assuming the identity of his predecessor but the twist that sets this film above the competition is that this previous occupant was a girl. Polanski uses this twist to explore the character's latent bisexuality in an atmosphere of paranoia and delusion.
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn (who won the Academy Award as Best Actress for her performance) are unforgettable as perplexed parents in this landmark 1967 movie about mixed marriage. Joanna (Katharine Houghton) the beautiful daughter of a crusading publisher Matthew Drayton (Tracy) and his patrician wife Christina (Hepburn) returns home with her new fiancee John Prentice (Sidney Poitier) a distinguished black doctor. Christina accepts her daughter's decision to marry John but Matthew is shocked by this interracial union; and the doctor's parents are equally dismayed. Both families must sit down face to face and examine each other's level of intolerance. In 'Guess Who's Coming To Dinner' director Stanley Kramer has created a masterful study of society's prejudices.
Stanley Kramer's landmark study of racial prejudice stars the ace comic duo of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as perplexed parents. When Joanna (Katharine Houghton) returns home with her new fiancé John Prentice (Sidney Poitier), a distinguished black doctor, her mother accepts her daughter's decision, but her father is shocked by the prospect of the interracial union. With the doctor's parents equally dismayed, both families must meet to explore the limits of their intolerance. Extras High Definition restoration Original mono audio Multichannel surround sound option Four Introductions (2007): Karen Kramer (3 mins); Steven Spielberg (1 min); Tom Brokaw (3 mins); Quincy Jones (3 mins) A Love Story for Today (2007, 30 mins): production retrospective A Special Kind of Love (2007, 17 mins): documentary featuring archival recordings of Katharine Hepburn Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth (2007, 17 mins): a look at Kramer's vision Stanley Kramer Accepts the Irving Thalberg Award (1961, 2 mins) 2007 Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award Presentation to An Inconvenient Truth (5 mins) Isolated score: experience Frank DeVol's original soundtrack music Image gallery: promotional photography Original theatrical trailer Teaser trailer New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
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