Demuth, Charles Movie Reviews

I have been waiting forever for 'Once Upon a Time in the West' to finally hit DVD and now it's here. Trust me, it was well worth the wait. Sergio Leone's masterpiece centers around Jill McBain (played by the beautifal Claudia Cardinale), a woman brought into a struggle for land by some very tragic circumstances. Cardinale steals many scenes with her sheer beauty and ability to optimize Leone's signiture style of facial expressions and body actions to express emotion. Henry Fonda shocked many by going against his usual castings by playing the ruthless Frank, a killer without a conscience. Charles Bronson is wonderful as Leone's signature mystery man without a name, and Jason Robards shines as Cheyenne, a roughneck accused of a crime he didn't commit.

OUATITW is quite different than Leone's other well known westerns starring Clint Eastwood, although he does still capture some of their magic here . Where this film differs is in it's characters and sheer scope. Leone's style is still well intact, but his storytelling is much more diverse here, not simply relying on one mechanic throughout.

The DVD was very well done with a good quality picture and adequate sound. The second DVD in the set is loaded with features including documenteries and various featurettes. The commentary tracts are also well done and very informative as well as entertaining.

All in all, this DVD was well worth the wait. For fans of the film, this is a gem for the collection that must be bought.

Ever since movies started being transferred to DVD, this is the one I was waiting for. And boy, did I wait. And it sure was worth waiting for. I can't express enough my excitement of having this DVD finally.

This is a great transfer. Images are crisp and clear. You can even see the details of the back lit Mitten Buttes in Monument Valley. Now, you can kiss goodbye to the VHS tape you had for years.

When I saw "Once Upon a Time in the West" for the first time, I was 14. Seeing Cardinale's buggy cross Monument Valley made me shed tears. It's such stunning beauty! I could feel Leone's deep affection to the western in this scene. This is his homage to John Ford and all western movies.

There are not so many directors who know how to use wide screen effectively. In Leone's films, space seems to expand to form massive cosmos. No other director could perform this type of magic (perhaps with an exception of David Lean).

This is a movie that deserves the word "masterpiece" in every sense. And this is an utmost form of film as art. The tempo throughout the movie is meticulously calculated. Camera movement and editing are extremely creative and cinematic. Morricone's haunting music flows with the images (I don't hesitate to say Jill's theme is the most beautiful music on earth). Dialogue is limited to optimize its dramatic effect and superbly well written. Movements of actors are deliberately slow and stylish. Carlo Simi's art direction for set and costume designs plays a great role also to help Leone's perfectionism and realism.

This is not just the best spaghetti western. Some dare to say this is the best western ever made. And so do I.

Three documentaries on the second disc are wonderful treat to Leone fans. Through numerous interviews, you can learn how "Once Upon a Time in the West" was started and how it was produced. Very briefly, you can see Leone himself in one of the documentaries. My only regret is that other key people like Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, Ennio Morricone and Sergio Donati were not interviewed.

One of the noteworthy special features is Location Gallery. I'd like to thank Don Bruce for contributing valuable photos of locations used for "Once Upon a Time in the West" to make comparisons to actual scenes in the film.

This is one great DVD made with passion to reflect diehard Leone fans' never-ending love for this monumental film.

This is one of the all-time classic westerns and my favorite "spaghetti western" from Sergio Leone. It features outstanding performances by Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards, and Charles Bronson. Claudia plays the character of Mrs. Jill McBain, whose husband and stepchildren were ruthlessly murdered by a gunman named Frank (Henry Fonda) who works for a business tycoon named Morton. Before dying, Mr. McBain purchased a large piece of railroad land by a big waterwell which he hopes to build into a big town called Sweetwater. Jill inherits this property but Frank and his henchmen try to wrest it from her. The mysterious lone gunfighter Harmonica (Charles Bronson) and the outlaw Cheyenne (Jason Robards) come to Jill's aid. Harmonica has something of a personal vendetta in mind while helping Jill and hooking up with Cheyenne.

The movie pays homage to the great American westerns in the past (movies such as "The Searchers" and "Shane", plus many others), while putting on a revisionist twist of its own in the story. Curiously, among the spaghetti westerns made by Leone, this is the only one which features a woman as its central character. This movie talks about the passing of the era of gunfighters into the modern industrial era (represented by the advent of railroads). One of the great features of this movie is the classic soundtrack by Ennio Morricone.

I really love this Western and it only gets better through the passage of time. The 2-DVD set is great -- it features a commentary on the first disc and several featurettes (a 3-part documentary which interviews cast members, the director, cinematographer and admirers of the movie; another documentary on the revolution of the railroad) on the second disc. There are some scenes included in this DVD which were absent in the video version (the complete version). The picture and sound quality are excellent. If you love classic westerns and are a fan of Sergio Leone's westerns, you will definitely love this movie. It is a must-have!

The Motown sound lives within the very essence of me. When this movie came out, I had to have it. Watching this movie draws you even closer in knowing each individual Temptation more on a personal basis. The Temptations are "the sound" of Motown. Nobody can even come close to being as good as they are. The Temptations are and always will be #1 in my heart! I have even purchase The Temptations Live In Concert to complete my set. God bless each and every Temptation past & present. And to you Otis, my friend, never let your candle go out. You have brighten so many lives, including mine. God bless you my friend.

I wasn't able to watch the movie when it aired on NBC. But I purchased the DVD a year ago and fell in love with the movie. Watching actor Leon portrayed David Ruffin's character was wonderful and somewhat spooky. He played that role to a tee. Leon sounded like David, had the same mannerism as David that it was so amazing.
I was proud at the performances by all the actors in the movie. Even though she had a small part, I was proud of Rhonda Ross Kendrick who is Diana Ross' and Berry Gordy's daughter who played Maxine, Paul's wife, I was proud of her performance as well.
Sure there were inconsistencies in the movie. Yes, the producers of the movies should have let the audience, particularly the younger audiences know what happened to the lives of these wonderful, yet troubled men who made up the Tempting Temptations.
(...)want to know about all that, read Otis' book or do research for yourself. But other than that, the movie was excellent in my book. The choreography in this movie was OUTSTANDING. The music was fantastic and the costumes was fabulous.
I would recommend this movie wholeheartedly. Yes, in some ways this movie is factual as well as fictional, but it is still worth watching and it will make you go out and read the book and do your own research about this fantastic group who will always be the number one in my book.

This movie was excellent to say the least! It never grows old. It tells the story of the successful motown group The Temptations. It goes in a timeline of dates from the time they were nobodies to the time of Melvin's death. This movie goes into detail of what happened behind the scenes. The trouble with David, Paul's alchohl abuse, ect. I really would recommend this to anyone!

The Motown sound lives within the very essence of me. When this movie came out, I had to have it. Watching this movie draws you even closer in knowing each individual Temptation more on a personal basis. The Temptations are "the sound" of Motown. Nobody can even come close to being as good as they are. The Temptations are and always will be #1 in my heart! I have even purchase The Temptations Live In Concert to complete my set. God bless each and every Temptation past & present. And to you Otis, my friend, never let your candle go out. You have brighten so many lives, including mine. God bless you my friend.

I wasn't able to watch the movie when it aired on NBC. But I purchased the DVD a year ago and fell in love with the movie. Watching actor Leon portrayed David Ruffin's character was wonderful and somewhat spooky. He played that role to a tee. Leon sounded like David, had the same mannerism as David that it was so amazing.
I was proud at the performances by all the actors in the movie. Even though she had a small part, I was proud of Rhonda Ross Kendrick who is Diana Ross' and Berry Gordy's daughter who played Maxine, Paul's wife, I was proud of her performance as well.
Sure there were inconsistencies in the movie. Yes, the producers of the movies should have let the audience, particularly the younger audiences know what happened to the lives of these wonderful, yet troubled men who made up the Tempting Temptations.
(...)want to know about all that, read Otis' book or do research for yourself. But other than that, the movie was excellent in my book. The choreography in this movie was OUTSTANDING. The music was fantastic and the costumes was fabulous.
I would recommend this movie wholeheartedly. Yes, in some ways this movie is factual as well as fictional, but it is still worth watching and it will make you go out and read the book and do your own research about this fantastic group who will always be the number one in my book.

This movie was excellent to say the least! It never grows old. It tells the story of the successful motown group The Temptations. It goes in a timeline of dates from the time they were nobodies to the time of Melvin's death. This movie goes into detail of what happened behind the scenes. The trouble with David, Paul's alchohl abuse, ect. I really would recommend this to anyone!

I remember watching this as a kid, and it was one of my favorites. I recently saw it again after about 20 years, and must say I was extremely disappointed. Yes, it had an all-star cast, and Leslie Warren's performance holds up quite well. But compared to the 1997 production (with Brandy and Whitney Houston, etc.,) this version is SO stiff, so wooden, so BORING, and the guest stars all stodgy and way too old for their parts. (Pat Carroll as a step-sister? She must've been at least in her late 40's when this was filmed.) But most importantly, the sets are so unbelievably cheap and tacky, the special effects are so shoddy -- it's really embarrassing to watch stars like Ginger Rogers stooping so low to appear in such a "stagey" low-budget production. (Buy the newer (1997) version -- it was directed by Rob Marshall, the same man who directed the Oscar-winning "Chicago", and compares almost to the Wizard of Oz when it come to the production quality.)

This is another very nice musical version of Cinderella. I watched it on a movie channel like HBO when I was a teenager and when I found out that the Prince was played by Stuart Damon who plays Alan Quartermaine on General Hospital I was pleasantly surprised! If you like the Cinderella fairytale and you watch General Hospital than I think you just may like this version of Cinderella

I was born in 1978, and am completely in love with this movie. I grew up with it one of my favorites as a child, and now 25 yrs. later I have just bought a copy for myself

You can't help but like this film. The underdog gets the girl--and early in the movie. This is not a film where he spends the whole time chasing her. No, no. This is a different movie altogether.

He doesn't want to sell anything that's bought and processed, or process anything that's bought and sold. Or buy anything that's sold and processed. But, he doesn't know what he wants to do besides spend as much time with Diane Court as possible.

This is about finding out someone is not what you thought they were [not the main character OR the girl, no, someone else], learning to trust, following your gut, and the painful lessons of near adulthood. OScar worthy? No, but a pleasure all the same.

I'm just imagining he must be about my age by now. This movie came out when I had just graduated from high school. I just watched it again and suddenly remembered why I loved it so much back then. All those burning post-grad 17 year old questions of "what am I going to become???" get addressed in Say Anything and it's as if post adolescent angst has voice!! Yeah!! To quote Loyd when he is asked by Diane's astute father what he plans on doing with his life "I don't really know what I want to do with my life right now sir, I'm just kinda hangin' out with your daughter"

Blame it on the great acting and onscreen chemistry. Blame it on the awesome acting abilities of John Cusack and the directing/writing by Cameron Crowe. Hey, blame is on the rain! Seattle is always a good location for movies. Get out and see this film again. Put all the other teen movies in the recycle bin where they belong. Guys you will recognize yourselves and girls you will fall in love with Loyd and like me will ask...where is Loyd Dobler anyway?

I fell in love with john cusack after watching this movie years ago and still haven't lost my crush on him. John Cusack plays Loyd, a kickboxing optimist who wants to win the heart of high school valedictorian, Diane Court (Ione Sky). But he surprises everyone, including himself, when he actually succeeds! But Diane's over-bearing and posessive father doesn't approve of their relationship and does what he has to do to break them apart- all while being investigated by the IRS. Made in 1989 it has definitely lived up to the test of time as the best teen movie ever made - American Pie, Clueless, and Fast Times at Ridgemont have nothing on this movie! Watch it!

Even if you haven't seen this before, it is worth buying for the awesome transfer that they have afforded it, and also for the classic that it is ...

A silent screen actress lives in a fantasy world longing for the stardom she once had, to the point that she really believes it is all coming back. Enter William Holden to help the fantasy come together. What we end up with is a tragic story which demonstrates how loneliness can affect the mind.

Heaps of extras add to the appeal of this DVD. A must own.

I don't think most people understand Sunset Blvd. Many look at William Holden as the sympathetic character and see Norma as mad and obsessive. I don't think this is the fault of the film, but perhaps people misunderstand it. Norma Desmond is the sympathetic, vulnerable character. Her career was thrown away as she became older (something that still happens to actresses today) and nobody loved her. It is tragic as she falls in love with William Holden's cynical character, and even more tragic when people feel sorry for him and not Norma! Norma is a reflection of the ideal, and how the ideal can lose reality in a cynical, hurtful world. Holden is simply careless towards Norma and uses her. Because we have come to expect this stereotype of men being careless and insensitive, many people acknowledge Holden as the normal character, when in fact he is very, very flawed. And we see the ideal qualities of compassion and heartbreak in Norma as scary or possessive. That is, of course, until she goes over the edge at the end of the film - but wouldn't you, too? Contrast these ideas with the perception of Joan Crawford (Mommie Dearest) that we have today.

As a film critic says in one of the interviews on this splendid special edition, Billy Wilder not only had the craft, style and elegance we associate with classic Hollywood, he also had a biting wit that appeals to the sensibilities of today. This film has aged much better than it's central villian, the demented starlet portrayed to perfection by real-life demented starlet Gloria Swanson. William Holden's (literally) dead-pan narration as a two-bit screenwriter of B-movies is as sad and funny as it ever was.

The documentary on the disc does a good job of demonstrating just how unique the tone of this story is, how it perfectly navigates between funny and sad. Not everyone in Hollywood saw the funny side when it was released, and it lost to ALL ABOUT EVE at that year's Oscars. So what? With this disc, SUNSET BOULEVARD is finally getting it's due.

Besides the documentary, you can read two screenplay drafts of an excised opening sequence, explore 1950's Hollywood with an interactive map and watch the film with audio commentary by a critic and historian. All these features are secondary, of course, to the movie. It looks gorgeous. The black and white picture is rich and crisp, the sound is re-mastered and the story is as compelling as ever. The special features only do what all good special features should do on a DVD. They add to the richness of the film. You may already know that Eric von Stroheim (who plays a character who directed Gloria Swanson's character in silent films) directed Gloria Swanson in silent films. But did you know that the drugstore where all the screenwriter's hang out in the movie is the drug store where F. Scott Fitzgerald had a heart attack in 1940? One of the reasons I love this movie is because it is so rich with Hollywood history.

I can't recommend this disc highly enough. Kudos to Columbia for doing right by a classic, a real film lover's film. I love this movie and I love this disc! 5/5 stars.

I sometimes wonder why this movie is shown at Christmastime. I find it depressing. Either way, it is an excellent movie. George Bailey, who grew up in Bedford Falls, dreams of leaving it and making his mark on the world. His family's business is all that stands between the good citizens and Mr. Potter, a rich miser who takes pleasure in taking from everybody. After misplacing an $8000.00 loan, George contemplates suicide. His guardian angel, Clarence, falls to Earth and shows him how his town, family and friends would turn out if he had never been born. George meant so much to so many people; should he really throw it all away?

Summary:
George Bailey (James Stewart) is a hometown boy with big aspirations. After finishing high school, he is going to tour Europe then go to college and become a big name architect and construction job manager, building huge dams and great projects. Everything seems to be headed that way, too, until his father, Peter Bailey (Samuel S. Hinds), has a stroke and ends up dying. His father was the head of the local Savings and Loan and without his guidance, the vile Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), the town miser, plans on a forced takeover of the Savings and Loan, much to George's Uncle Billy's (Thomas Mitchell) wishes (and to the detriment of the town's poor).

The only way to save the Savings and Loan is for George, whom everyone respects and trusts, to step in as the new chairman and takeover. Giving up his tour of Europe and college education, George does the 'right' thing, and takes over the Savings and Loan, which is really the only thing standing between the poor of the town having a chance to live decent lives and Mr. Potter taking over everything and grinding them into the mud.

In giving up his college dreams, George has to watch while his younger brother, Harry (Todd Karns), uses his money to go to college, becomes a football star, then a war hero. George also watches his new found love, Mary (Donna Reed), go off to school. All of this turns George bitter, but he presses on, despite the problems. Eventually one good thing does happen, Mary comes back, and despite his bitterness towards his lost opportunities, George marries Mary and they make a life together as the advocates of the town's poor.

George, who helps the poor despite it hurting the Savings and Loan and keeping him perpetually poor, eventually runs into trouble. His forgetful uncle, Billy, loses an $8,000 deposit on Christmas Eve, just when the local auditor comes to check over their books. Without that money, George and Billy are bound to go to jail. As it turns out, Mr. Potter is the one who found it, but because he wants to crush them out of business, he doesn't give them the money.

For George, this is the last straw. Knowing his life is ruined, he finally breaks down and is mean to people, starting with his Uncle, but moving to his wife, kids, their schoolteachers, and, well, pretty much everyone. Until his guardian angel happens upon the scene, Clarence Oddbody (Henry Travers). Clarence appears just in time to stop George from killing himself then helps him to see all of the good that he has done for the people of the town and how much they need him. Once George realizes this, he can't wait to get back home, despite the impending jail sentence.

But when he returns home, even though the police and the auditor are waiting for him, he finds that his incredible wife has brought the townspeople together and they are going to bail him out. Thus ends a touching tale about how kindness can make you much wealthier in terms of relationships than can money.

My Comments:
Believe it or not, I had never seen this movie, despite it supposedly being a classic Christmas film. I was a bit hesitant, because I tend to enjoy psychological thrillers much more than sappy dramas, but I ended up appreciating this movie. However, my appreciation went much further than what I would consider the superficial heroics of George Bailey, who saved his younger brother and was nice to people. It was also deeper than the townspeople coming together in the end to save George and the Savings and Loan. What I really liked about this movie was the communism. Yep, that's right, this is pure communist propaganda and I loved every second of it. But before I get into that, let me talk about the story and the acting.

The story is pretty straightforward. It does cover quite a bit of time, but does so well and convincingly. There aren't any major plot holes and the only kind of quirky thing is the intervention of the guardian angel. For most people, the divine intervention is probably one of the best parts of the film. As an agnostic, I recognized that many people probably enjoyed this notion, but it was really just a necessary tool to illustrate to George what life would have been like had he not been born. And, yes, the portrayal of George's town without him was a bit extreme, and the idea of someone not being born wasn't particularly well-fleshed out (though this is a drama and not a science fiction thriller). But overall, it's a sound story that hits all the right marks to jerk a tear.

The acting is also good. There are some weaker links, like Thomas Mitchell and some of the other peripheral characters, but the main actors, Stewart and Reed, were really very good. (Oh, and Donna Reed, am I the only one that thinks she's attractive? I never thought I'd hear myself say that about Donna Reed...) Anyway, I can't really complain about the acting. It was really good for its time and pretty good for today.

Now, back to communism. Yes, this movie is about communism, but not Soviet or Chinese communism. This is essentially a boiled down version of Marxist communism, where the people own everything. It also is a brilliant depiction of the exploitation of the working classes by the bourgeoisie, in this case Mr. Potter. George's attempts to help the poor and maintain the Savings and Loan are Capra's way of defeating capitalist exploitation. Hooray for the little man! Three cheers for labor unions! If Frank Capra was just trying to tell a story and was not trying to criticize capitalism, then I'm a double-headed pig that can use a computer.

Overall, this is a very good film. It is well-produced, convincing (except for the whole guardian angel/talking in space thing), and the acting is good. But what's more, it has an anti-capitalist message. I can't say it was perfect, but it was touching and inspirational. If only we could take out the religion stuff, I'd say we have a rallying cry for social democracy (okay, leave in the religion for now, but eventually...). Anyway, if you haven't seen this movie, yes, it's sappy, but it's also heart-warming (and Donna Reed's cute). You should definitely check it (and her) out.

A terrific illustration of the impact we have on others--and how far reaching it is even when we don't realize it. Jimmy Stewart is wonderful! This is such an uplifting, inspiring, all-is-right-with-the-world-movie. We watch it each year at Christmas and turn it off and sigh. :-)

I sometimes wonder why this movie is shown at Christmastime. I find it depressing. Either way, it is an excellent movie. George Bailey, who grew up in Bedford Falls, dreams of leaving it and making his mark on the world. His family's business is all that stands between the good citizens and Mr. Potter, a rich miser who takes pleasure in taking from everybody. After misplacing an $8000.00 loan, George contemplates suicide. His guardian angel, Clarence, falls to Earth and shows him how his town, family and friends would turn out if he had never been born. George meant so much to so many people; should he really throw it all away?

Summary:
George Bailey (James Stewart) is a hometown boy with big aspirations. After finishing high school, he is going to tour Europe then go to college and become a big name architect and construction job manager, building huge dams and great projects. Everything seems to be headed that way, too, until his father, Peter Bailey (Samuel S. Hinds), has a stroke and ends up dying. His father was the head of the local Savings and Loan and without his guidance, the vile Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore), the town miser, plans on a forced takeover of the Savings and Loan, much to George's Uncle Billy's (Thomas Mitchell) wishes (and to the detriment of the town's poor).

The only way to save the Savings and Loan is for George, whom everyone respects and trusts, to step in as the new chairman and takeover. Giving up his tour of Europe and college education, George does the 'right' thing, and takes over the Savings and Loan, which is really the only thing standing between the poor of the town having a chance to live decent lives and Mr. Potter taking over everything and grinding them into the mud.

In giving up his college dreams, George has to watch while his younger brother, Harry (Todd Karns), uses his money to go to college, becomes a football star, then a war hero. George also watches his new found love, Mary (Donna Reed), go off to school. All of this turns George bitter, but he presses on, despite the problems. Eventually one good thing does happen, Mary comes back, and despite his bitterness towards his lost opportunities, George marries Mary and they make a life together as the advocates of the town's poor.

George, who helps the poor despite it hurting the Savings and Loan and keeping him perpetually poor, eventually runs into trouble. His forgetful uncle, Billy, loses an $8,000 deposit on Christmas Eve, just when the local auditor comes to check over their books. Without that money, George and Billy are bound to go to jail. As it turns out, Mr. Potter is the one who found it, but because he wants to crush them out of business, he doesn't give them the money.

For George, this is the last straw. Knowing his life is ruined, he finally breaks down and is mean to people, starting with his Uncle, but moving to his wife, kids, their schoolteachers, and, well, pretty much everyone. Until his guardian angel happens upon the scene, Clarence Oddbody (Henry Travers). Clarence appears just in time to stop George from killing himself then helps him to see all of the good that he has done for the people of the town and how much they need him. Once George realizes this, he can't wait to get back home, despite the impending jail sentence.

But when he returns home, even though the police and the auditor are waiting for him, he finds that his incredible wife has brought the townspeople together and they are going to bail him out. Thus ends a touching tale about how kindness can make you much wealthier in terms of relationships than can money.

My Comments:
Believe it or not, I had never seen this movie, despite it supposedly being a classic Christmas film. I was a bit hesitant, because I tend to enjoy psychological thrillers much more than sappy dramas, but I ended up appreciating this movie. However, my appreciation went much further than what I would consider the superficial heroics of George Bailey, who saved his younger brother and was nice to people. It was also deeper than the townspeople coming together in the end to save George and the Savings and Loan. What I really liked about this movie was the communism. Yep, that's right, this is pure communist propaganda and I loved every second of it. But before I get into that, let me talk about the story and the acting.

The story is pretty straightforward. It does cover quite a bit of time, but does so well and convincingly. There aren't any major plot holes and the only kind of quirky thing is the intervention of the guardian angel. For most people, the divine intervention is probably one of the best parts of the film. As an agnostic, I recognized that many people probably enjoyed this notion, but it was really just a necessary tool to illustrate to George what life would have been like had he not been born. And, yes, the portrayal of George's town without him was a bit extreme, and the idea of someone not being born wasn't particularly well-fleshed out (though this is a drama and not a science fiction thriller). But overall, it's a sound story that hits all the right marks to jerk a tear.

The acting is also good. There are some weaker links, like Thomas Mitchell and some of the other peripheral characters, but the main actors, Stewart and Reed, were really very good. (Oh, and Donna Reed, am I the only one that thinks she's attractive? I never thought I'd hear myself say that about Donna Reed...) Anyway, I can't really complain about the acting. It was really good for its time and pretty good for today.

Now, back to communism. Yes, this movie is about communism, but not Soviet or Chinese communism. This is essentially a boiled down version of Marxist communism, where the people own everything. It also is a brilliant depiction of the exploitation of the working classes by the bourgeoisie, in this case Mr. Potter. George's attempts to help the poor and maintain the Savings and Loan are Capra's way of defeating capitalist exploitation. Hooray for the little man! Three cheers for labor unions! If Frank Capra was just trying to tell a story and was not trying to criticize capitalism, then I'm a double-headed pig that can use a computer.

Overall, this is a very good film. It is well-produced, convincing (except for the whole guardian angel/talking in space thing), and the acting is good. But what's more, it has an anti-capitalist message. I can't say it was perfect, but it was touching and inspirational. If only we could take out the religion stuff, I'd say we have a rallying cry for social democracy (okay, leave in the religion for now, but eventually...). Anyway, if you haven't seen this movie, yes, it's sappy, but it's also heart-warming (and Donna Reed's cute). You should definitely check it (and her) out.

A terrific illustration of the impact we have on others--and how far reaching it is even when we don't realize it. Jimmy Stewart is wonderful! This is such an uplifting, inspiring, all-is-right-with-the-world-movie. We watch it each year at Christmas and turn it off and sigh. :-)

I was waiting for a true deluxe edition that has a commentary of the making of the movie. Most of the time I won't buy a DVD unless it has a commentary on the movie. This is one of my all time favorite movie and what made me love Sean Astin as an actor. If you are looking for an inspirational, uplifting movie for you or someone else, this is it. I give the movie 5 stars but this DVD edition 4 stars.

"Rudy" - the 1993 blockbuster starring Sean Astin in the title role, is one motion picture that reminds us no goal or obstacle is too big or too small to be accomplished successfully, if one is willing to persevere through all hardships. "Rudy" gets this message across to the viewer quite well, and with no major stumbling blocks or any errors, for that matter. Determined to defy all those who doubt his dream of playing football at the University of Notre Dame, Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger sets off for South Bend, Indiana with a duffle bag filled with hopes and a bus ticket. Once arriving at his intended destination, he is met by a caring Catholic priest (Robert Prosky), who sees Rudy's heart and desire, and is determined to help this young man accomplish his goal. A timeline is established, where Rudy must maintain a respectable grade point average at Holy Cross Junior College in a year's time. If grades are successfully met, he'll be one step closer to realizing his dream of both playing football for the Fighting Irish, thus gaining admission into Notre Dame. Adding a bit more meat and potatoes to "Rudy"'s storyline, are fine, upstanding, believable performances from Ned Beatty (as Rudy's father), Scott Benjaminson (as Rudy's doubting Thomas brother), Lili Taylor (as Rudy's girlfriend) and Jason Miller (as legendary ND coach Ara Parseghian). Charles S. Dutton's performance as the head stadium groundskeeper mustn't be overlooked, either. To sum everything up, "Rudy" is a film that's about more than just football. It's about conquering mountains, big and small, which isn't impossible, as long as one keeps their nose to the grindstone, or, in this case, to the gridiron. Having doubts about whether or not you can win life's battles? See this movie. Hearing nothing but negativity from those around you while en route to accomplishing your goal? See this movie. Do you dream of getting a college degree, and want to make it a reality? SEE THIS MOVIE!!! Oh, and see if you can spot the cameo appearance of Mr. Daniel Ruettiger himself (INTERESTING TIDBITS: The exterior shot of the Holy Cross College campus, is actually one of the colleges on the Notre Dame campus. The scene in the campus coffee shop where Rudy and D-Bob (Jon Favreau [another actor I (almost) overlooked!]) are talking/studying, is shot in ND's O'Shaughnessy Hall, and the interior Holy Cross classroom scenes were filmed at a nearby high school). With so much to offer, "Rudy" truly lives up to its moniker as the "Rocky Of The '90s"! See it, if you haven't already. You won't be disappointed!

Any movie that celebrates the triumph of a man against overwhleming odds, that displays courage, tenacity, disappointment, tragedy, love, and victory and that does all this delivery in simple human emotion is going to connect with every single viewer of the film.

Rudy is one of those truly rare films that stay in your mind and heart.

The DVD is my only edition of the film, and does have the interview of the guy the film is based on, and this simply blows me away in its delivery of a regular joe sharing himself.

All I can say, despite its relatively simple DVD architecture, and few "extra", and since I cannot give the film 6 stars, buy this DVD for the movie....after all, thats what it is for.

I was waiting for a true deluxe edition that has a commentary of the making of the movie. Most of the time I won't buy a DVD unless it has a commentary on the movie. This is one of my all time favorite movie and what made me love Sean Astin as an actor. If you are looking for an inspirational, uplifting movie for you or someone else, this is it. I give the movie 5 stars but this DVD edition 4 stars.

"Rudy" - the 1993 blockbuster starring Sean Astin in the title role, is one motion picture that reminds us no goal or obstacle is too big or too small to be accomplished successfully, if one is willing to persevere through all hardships. "Rudy" gets this message across to the viewer quite well, and with no major stumbling blocks or any errors, for that matter. Determined to defy all those who doubt his dream of playing football at the University of Notre Dame, Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger sets off for South Bend, Indiana with a duffle bag filled with hopes and a bus ticket. Once arriving at his intended destination, he is met by a caring Catholic priest (Robert Prosky), who sees Rudy's heart and desire, and is determined to help this young man accomplish his goal. A timeline is established, where Rudy must maintain a respectable grade point average at Holy Cross Junior College in a year's time. If grades are successfully met, he'll be one step closer to realizing his dream of both playing football for the Fighting Irish, thus gaining admission into Notre Dame. Adding a bit more meat and potatoes to "Rudy"'s storyline, are fine, upstanding, believable performances from Ned Beatty (as Rudy's father), Scott Benjaminson (as Rudy's doubting Thomas brother), Lili Taylor (as Rudy's girlfriend) and Jason Miller (as legendary ND coach Ara Parseghian). Charles S. Dutton's performance as the head stadium groundskeeper mustn't be overlooked, either. To sum everything up, "Rudy" is a film that's about more than just football. It's about conquering mountains, big and small, which isn't impossible, as long as one keeps their nose to the grindstone, or, in this case, to the gridiron. Having doubts about whether or not you can win life's battles? See this movie. Hearing nothing but negativity from those around you while en route to accomplishing your goal? See this movie. Do you dream of getting a college degree, and want to make it a reality? SEE THIS MOVIE!!! Oh, and see if you can spot the cameo appearance of Mr. Daniel Ruettiger himself (INTERESTING TIDBITS: The exterior shot of the Holy Cross College campus, is actually one of the colleges on the Notre Dame campus. The scene in the campus coffee shop where Rudy and D-Bob (Jon Favreau [another actor I (almost) overlooked!]) are talking/studying, is shot in ND's O'Shaughnessy Hall, and the interior Holy Cross classroom scenes were filmed at a nearby high school). With so much to offer, "Rudy" truly lives up to its moniker as the "Rocky Of The '90s"! See it, if you haven't already. You won't be disappointed!

Any movie that celebrates the triumph of a man against overwhleming odds, that displays courage, tenacity, disappointment, tragedy, love, and victory and that does all this delivery in simple human emotion is going to connect with every single viewer of the film.

Rudy is one of those truly rare films that stay in your mind and heart.

The DVD is my only edition of the film, and does have the interview of the guy the film is based on, and this simply blows me away in its delivery of a regular joe sharing himself.

All I can say, despite its relatively simple DVD architecture, and few "extra", and since I cannot give the film 6 stars, buy this DVD for the movie....after all, thats what it is for.