Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Republic Pictures
• VHS Release Date: February 17, 1998
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301784022
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,065 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Cinematic Treasure, October 26, 2004

By 

Thayer - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Film Inst: Henry Fonda [VHS] (VHS Tape)

If you're a fan of Henry Fonda, don't even think about it just buy this thing since it's still available. It's a collector's item to the very sense of the word. It's a celebration of the career of Fonda in an intimate and personal fashion, my only complain (or more of a wishful thinking) is that the ceremony was held before the release of On Golden Pond, and it seems incomplete given that On Golden Pond is an integral part of his career.

Some of his friends in Hollywood paid tribute to him by introducing important clips or montages in the course of his career. Some legends present there were Bette Davis (who was truly a delight to see, love her joke about the forgotten movie she and Fonda did before "it took a lot of acting to make that film believable") Jimmy Stewart (hilarious), Jack Lemmon, Barbara Stanwyck (Oh God I love her!!!), Lucille Ball, Lillian Gish and of course his children Jane and Peter Fonda

Another treat is they showed some rare clips of his movies. But of course it also includes his best known movies like Grapes of Wrath, The Lady eve, Mister Roberts, twelve Angry Men, Once Upon a Time in the West, My Darling Clementine, Jezebel, Ox-Bow Incident, and Yours Mine and Ours.

In the culmination of the film after showing his whole career through various clips, he accepted the award. His speech was about 15 minutes long. He has a cute story about his father's disapproval of his choice to do acting, after the whole family went to see him in a play, his sister was almost criticizing his performance, his father interrupted her and said "Shut, up he's perfect" which according to him was the best compliment he's ever got.

In the end of the show in the Mister Roberts fashion where each of the crew said "Goodnight Mr. Roberts", instead each of his friends there, starting with Jack Lemmon uttered "Goodnight Mr. Fonda". It was a very nice gimmick and just a perfect end. I can feel the adoration, love, sincerity in that room. And it's sad that most of them have passed away, buy this to see all those legends in their most passionate light outside the movies.

Grade: A+

5.0 out of 5 stars Henry Fonda gets his AFI-Award, July 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: American Film Inst: Henry Fonda [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Henry Fonda was one of the most charismatic actors ever to bless the silver screen and it was only natural that he should receive The AFI Life Acievement Award. It's an evening with great moments of history when Bette Davis, James Stewart and Lillian Gish ( the last saying perhaps the most sain words in Hollywood: "Take the responsibility of what you put on film!" ) pay their respect to an aging colleague. In fact, most of the people appearing this evening are gone, and therefore the tape is all the more valuable. I recommend it.