"Director: Rouben Mamoulian"

• Cleopatra -- Three-Disc Special Edition | DVD | (15/04/2002) from £24.94   |  Saving you £0.05 (0.20%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Still the most expensive movie ever made, Cleopatra nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. It also scandalised the world with the very public affair of its two major stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. But Joseph L Mankiewicz's 1963 epic deserves to be remembered for more than its off-screen troubles. An extravagantly elaborate production, the sets and costumes alone are awe-inspiring; Mankiewicz's own literate screenplay draws heavily on the classics and Shakespeare; while the supporting cast, led by Rex Harrison as Caesar and Roddy McDowall as his nephew (and future emperor) Octavian, are all first-rate thespians and generally put in more convincing performances than either of the two leads. Mankiewicz's original intention was to make two three-hour films: the first being Caesar and Cleopatra, the second Antony and Cleopatra. But before the film’s completion, and following a boardroom coup worthy of Ancient Rome itself, legendary mogul Darryl F Zanuck took back control of Fox and insisted that Cleopatra be cut to a more economical length. A heartbroken Mankiewicz was forced to trim his six-hour vision down to four. This was the "roadshow" version shown at the film’s premiere and now restored here for the first time. Then following adverse criticism and pressure from cinema chains Zanuck demanded more cuts, and the final released version ran a mere three hours--half the original length. Capitalising on the feverish publicity surrounding Burton and Taylor, the shortened version played up both their on- and off-screen romance. This longer four-hour roadshow version allows for a broader view of the film, adding some depth to the politics and manipulation of the characters. But the director’s original six-hour edit has been lost. Perhaps one day it will be rediscovered in the vaults and Mankiewicz’s much-maligned movie will finally be seen the way it was meant to be. Until then, Cleopatra remains an epic curiosity rather than the complete spectacle it should be. On the DVD: this handsome three-disc set spreads the restored four-hour print of the movie across two discs. The anamorphic widescreen print looks quite magnificent and Alex North’s wondrous score comes up like new in Dolby 5.1 sound. There’s a patchy and only intermittently revealing commentary from Chris Mankiewicz, Tom Mankiewicz, Martin Landau and Jack Brodsky. Much better is the comprehensive two-hour documentary that occupies disc three, which tells in hair-raising detail the extraordinary story of a film production that became totally out of control. This is accompanied by some short archival material, but the documentary alone is a compelling reason to acquire this set. --Mark Walker

• Doctor Jekyll And Mr Hyde | DVD | (17/04/2019) from £4.99   |  Saving you £9.00 (180.36%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Side A - 1931: Frederic March won the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of the dual personality doctor in Rouben Mamoulian's take on the Stevenson novella tracing Jekyll's troubles to their source in sexual repression... Side B - 1941: Spencer Tracey Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner star in Victor Fleming's adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson tale. Dr Jekyll's (Tracey) experimental potion reveals his evil side unleashing the murderous Mr Hyde on an unsuspe

• The Mark Of Zorro | DVD | (06/03/2006) from £16.40   |  Saving you £-6.41 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The jagged mark of his sword struck terror to every heart but one! This swashbuckling remake of the silent classic stars Tyrone Power as the dashing masked avenger who single-handedly saves Los Angeles from Spanish despots. Don Diego Vega (Power) is summoned home from his elite training corps in Spain to California where he finds his father the Alcade deposed and the people living in tyranny. Disguised as Zorro a sword-wielding mystery man dressed in black he works to restore his father to power and return tax money stolen by the villains (J. Edward Bromberg Basil Rathbone). He even finds time to romance the ruling tyrant's beautiful niece (Linda Darnell). This celebrated screen adventure is filled with action adventure excitement and romance as well as featuring 'one of cinema's best ever duels' (Empire).

• Blood and Sand | DVD | (05/11/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  To save his mother and little sister from a life of poverty in the slums of Seville, Juan Gallardo (Tyrone Power) seeks fame and fortune in the brutal bullring as a matador. He marries his childhood sweetheart (Linda Darnell) and fights his way to glory as Spain's greatest bullfighter. Gallardo's fame, however, attracts the attention of a stunningly beautiful, hot-blooded aristocrat (Rita Hayworth). She decides she wants him - and now Gallardo faces both death in the bullring and self-destruction in the arms of a fickle temptress... Blood and Sand won a well-deserved Oscar for its lush and unforgettable colour cinematography. The film has now been digitally restored and remastered for this, its first ever UK DVD release. Special Features: Digitally Remastered Picture and Sound Audio Commentary by Richard Crudo Stills Gallery Collectors Booklet

• The Greta Garbo Signature Collection (2011) | DVD | (01/08/2011) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £29.99

  Titles Comprise: Anna Christie Mata Hari Queen Christina Anna Karenina

• The Song Of Songs | DVD | (13/10/2008) from £9.43   |  Saving you £0.56 (5.94%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Song Of Songs (Universal Classics)

• The Mark of Zorro | DVD | (12/03/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Jagged Mark of His Sword Struck Terror to Every Heart - But One!This swashbuckling remake of the silent classic stars Tyrone Power as the dashing masked avenger who single-handedly saves Los Angeles from Spanish despots. Don Diego Vega (Power) is summoned home from his elite training corps in Spain to California, where he finds his father, the Alcade, deposed and the people living in tyranny. Disguised as Zorro, a sword-wielding mystery man dressed in black, he works to restore his father to power and return tax money stolen by the villains (J. Edward Bromberg, Basil Rathbone). He even finds time to romance the ruling tyrant's beautiful niece (Linda Darnell).This celebrated screen adventure is filled with action, adventure, excitement and romance, as well as featuring 'one of cinema's best ever duels' (Empire).

• Tyrone Power - Mark Of Zorro / Razor's Edge / Yank In The RAF / Big Trail In Old Chicago / Second Fiddle | DVD | (04/09/2006) from £18.88   |  Saving you £16.11 (46.00%)   |  RRP £34.99

  The Mark Of Zorro (Dir. Rouben Mamoulian 1940): This swashbuckling remake of the silent classic stars Tyrone Power as the dashing masked avenger who single-handedly saves Los Angeles from Spanish despots. Don Diego Vega (Power) is summoned home from his elite training corps in Spain to California where he finds his father the Alcade deposed and the people living in tyranny. Disguised as Zorro a sword-wielding mystery man dressed in black he works to restore his father to

• The Mark Of Zorro | DVD | (04/07/2005) from £9.98   |  Saving you £3.01 (30.16%)   |  RRP £12.99

  The Jagged Mark of His Sword Struck Terror to Every Heart - But One! This swashbuckling remake of the silent classic stars Tyrone Power as the dashing masked avenger who single-handedly saves Los Angeles from Spanish despots. Don Diego Vega (Power) is summoned home from his elite training corps in Spain to California where he finds his father the Alcade deposed and the people living in tyranny. Disguised as Zorro a sword-wielding mystery man dressed in black he works to r

• Greta Garbo Collection | DVD | (12/10/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Titles Comprise: Anna Christie (1930): Garbo made her landmark transition to Talkies with this film playing a former prostitute whose past threatens her chance for happiness. A different director and cast join Garbo in a German-language version (Side B with English subtitles) filmed on the same sound stages immediately after the English version. Later Garbo called it the better film and this new DVD release gives fans the rare opportunity to compare the two versions. Mata Hari (1931): Garbo is mesmerizing as a dancer turned German secret agent in wartime Paris seething with secrets and betrayal. The notable supporting cast includes Lionel Barrymore as a Russian general in love with her Lewis Stone as an icy master spy and Ramon Novarro as a handsome aviator who wins the heart Mata Hari did not know she possessed. Queen Christina (1933): To escape the burdens of the monarchy Sweden's Queen Christina (Garbo) rides into the countryside disguised as a boy. She meets and secretly falls for a dashing Spanish envoy on his way to the royal court. When her lover's true identity is revealed Christina knows her people will not accept her marriage to a foreigner. Torn between her duty and her heart she must make a fateful decision. Garbo is luminous in this lavish costume drama starring with her one-time off-screen fianc'' John Gilbert under the direction of Rouben Mamoulian. Anna Karenina (1935): Leo Tolstoy's novel of a dutiful wife and doting mother who gives up her life of contentment to experience real passion receives sumptuous treatment in a David O. Selznick production. Clarence Brown directs a stellar cast - including Fredric March Basil Rathbone Maureen O'Sullivan and Freddie Bartholomew. Greta Garbo is the soul of the film in a nuanced performance that won the New York Film Critics Best Actress Award. At the height of her art Garbo is unforgettable as a woman helpless in love's grasp and heartbroken at the loss of her son. Camille (1936): Life in 1847 Paris is as spirited as champagne and as unforgiving as the gray morning after. In gambling dens and lavish soirees men of means exert their wills and women turned courtesans exult in pleasure. One such woman is Marguerite Gautier (Garbo) the Camille of this sumptuous romantic tale based on the enduring Alexandre Dumas story. Garbo earned an Academy Award nomination and the New York Film Critics Best Actress Award for her memorable work in this George Cukor-directed film. Ninotchka (1939): Garbo shines in her first comedy a frothy tale of a dour Russian envoy sublimating her womanhood for Soviet brotherhood until she falls for a suave Parisian man-about-town (Melvyn Douglas). Working from a clever script written in part by Billy Wilder director Ernst Lubitsch knew better than anyone how to marry refinement with sublime wit. That's how we see Garbo's love struck Ninotchka: serenely dignified yet endearingly ridiculous.

• Barbara Stanwyck | DVD | (17/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £49.99

  A bumper box set of classic films featuring 'The Queen' Barbara Stanwyck! Double Indemnity (Dir. Billy Wilder 1944): Director Billy Wilder and writer Raymond Chandler ('The Big Sleep') adapted James M. Cain's hard-boiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck): kill Dietrichson's husband and make off with the insurance money. But of cou

• The Mark Of Zorro | DVD | (30/06/2003) from £12.80   |  Saving you £-6.81 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  This swashbuckling remake of the silent classic stars Tyrone Power as the dashing masked avenger who must single-handedly save Los Angeles from Spanish despots. Don Diego Vega (Power) is summoned home from his elite training corps in Spain to California where he finds his father the Alcalde deposed and the people living in tyranny. Disguised as Zorro a sword-wielding mystery man dressed in black he works to restore his father to power and return tax money stolen by the villains.

• Icons: Barbra Stanwyck - Double Indemnity (1944)/The Lady Eve/The Bitter Tea Of General Yen/The Golden Boy (1939)/The Miracle Woman/All I Desire | DVD | (27/09/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  A bumper box set of classic films featuring 'The Queen' Barbara Stanwyck! Double Indemnity (Dir. Billy Wilder 1944): Director Billy Wilder and writer Raymond Chandler ('The Big Sleep') adapted James M. Cain's hard-boiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck): kill Dietrichson's husband and make off with the insurance money. But of course in these plots things never quite go as planned and Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) is the wily insurance investigator who has a feeling that not all is as it seems... The Lady Eve (Dir. Preston Sturges 1941): In 1941 Barbara Stanwyck was offered two screwball roles equally suited to her tart intelligence deft comic timing and undeniable sex appeal and it's a photo finish as to which was funnier; showgirl-on-the-lam Sugarpuss O'Shea the title character in Howard Hawks's 'Ball of Fire' or con artist Jean Harrington a.k.a. Lady Eve Sidwich the delirious fulcrum for this classic Preston Sturges comedy. Under Sturges's typically antic microscope the collision between the gold-digging Harrington and the very rich very hapless brewery-heir-turned-herpetologist Charles Pike (a wonderfully callow guileless Henry Fonda) yields ample opportunity for the writer-director to skewer issues of class and sex; as always Sturges is bold in pushing the censors' envelope capturing a palpable erotic heat between the canny Jean and the literally feverish Charlie who after a year up the Amazon is instantly smitten by the mere sight of her shapely ankles (in hindsight a precursor to her subsequent effect in 'Double Indemnity'). The Bitter Tea Of General Yen (Dir. Frank Capra 1933): Caught in a Chinese rebellion newly-arrived American Megan Davis (Stanwyck) is rescued by a cultured bandit General Yen. When she realises she is being held captive she sets about undermining her captor. In time however she finds that it is not her confinement she must fight against - rather it is her growing attraction to the man... The Golden Boy (Dir. Rouben Mamoulian 1939): The tale of Joe Bonaparte; a boy encouraged by his father to pursue his dream of playing the violin who turns to boxing when poverty sets in. What he witnesses is the tough and uncompromising world of major league boxing; the widespread corruption; and the alluring qualities of one hot dame! The Miracle Woman (Dir. Frank Capra 1931): Barbara Stanwyck stars as Sister Faith Fallon the charismatic leader of a Pentecostal sect. David Manners plays John Carson the blind man whose life is changed by her powerful sermon. Little does he know that Faith works alongside a con-man performing hoax miracles to boost the coiffeurs. Will John's love for Faith finally steer her back onto the right path? All I Desire (Dir. Douglas Sirk 1953): Barbara Stanwyck stars as Naomi Murdock a wayward mother and struggling actress who yearns for her old life before she walked out on her family. Returning to town she finds herself the subject of hearsay and loose speculation from the locals. More importantly her husband is striking up a relationship with a local school teacher and her oldest daughter remains hostile to the mother who abandoned her. Will Naomi be able to repair the damage done and rest her demons?

• Song Of Songs | DVD | (05/05/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99