Product Details

• Actors: James Hayter, James Donald, Nigel Patrick, Joyce Grenfell, Hermione Gingold
• Format: Black & White, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: VCI Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: February 24, 2009
• Run Time: 287 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001NG420E
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,219 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

BRITISH CINEMA:RENOWN PICTURES LITERA - DVD Movie

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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "British Cinema ... Renown Pictures Literary Classics Collection ... VCI", April 4, 2009

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: British Cinema: The Renown Pictures Literary Classics Collection (The Pickwick Papers / Tom Brown's Schooldays / Svengali) (DVD)

VCI Entertainment presents "BRITISH CINEMA:THE RENOWN PICTURES LITERARY CLASSICS COLLECTION" --- (1951-1954) (287 min/B&W) --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- The titles included in the set are: The Pickwick Papers (1952) received Academy Award Nomination for Best Costume Design -- Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951) some of the filming took place on location at Rugby, giving the picture its strong flavor of authenticity -- Svengali (1954), with an outstanding performance by the three leads.

THE PICKWICK PAPERS (26 November 1952) (London) (109 min/B&W) - Noel Langley (Director)
The Pickwick Club sends Mr. Pickwick (James Hayter) and a group of friends to travel across England and to report back on the interesting things they find. In the course of their travels, they repeatedly encounter the friendly but disreputable Mr. Jingle (Nigel Patrick), who becomes a continual source of trouble for all who know him. Pickwick himself is the victim of a number of misunderstandings that bring him both embarrassment and problems with the law.

the cast includes:
James Hayter ... Samuel Pickwick
James Donald ... Nathaniel Winkle
Nigel Patrick ... Mr. Jingle
Joyce Grenfell ... Mrs. Leo Hunter
Hermione Gingold ... Miss Tompkins
Hermione Baddeley ... Mrs. Bardell
Donald Wolfit ... Sergeant Buzfuz
Harry Fowler ... Sam Weller

Extras
1. "Original Dedication" by Charles Dickens
2. Tom Brown School Days Trailer

TOM BROWN'S SCHOOLDAYS (1951) (93 min/B&W) - Gordon Parry (Director)
With an excellent cast within the inclusive Tom Brown (John Howard Davies) starts Rugby School and it isn't long before he becomes one of the victims of the school bully, Flashman (John Forrest) --- A year later, he is assigned to look after a new starter, the rather nervous Arthur (Glyn Dearman). He also becomes a victim of Flashman and together with Tom's friend East ( John Charlesworth), they help Flashman to get his comeuppance at the end and he is thrown out and the bullying stops --- Quite a collection of well known British talent here.

the cast includes:
John Howard Davies ... Tom Brown
Robert Newton ... Dr. Thomas Arnold
John Charlesworth ... East
James Hayter ... Old Thomas
John Forrest ... Flashman
Michael Hordern ... Wilkes
Max Bygraves ... Coach Guard
Francis De Wolff ... Squire Brown
Diana Wynyard ... Mrs. Thomas Arnold
Hermione Baddeley ... Sally Harrowell
Kathleen Byron ... Mrs. Brown
Amy Veness ... Mrs. Wixie
Brian Worth ... Judd
Rachel Gurney ... Mrs. Arthur
Michael Brennan ... Black Bart
Neil North ... Diggs
Michael Ward ... Master
Glyn Dearman ... Arthur

Extras
1. Tom Brown's Schooldays Color Version
2. Tom Brown's Schooldays Before and After Restoration
3. Tom Brown's Schooldays Trailer
4. Richard Gordon Remembers George Minter

SVENGALI (December 1954) (82 min/B&W) - Noel Langley (Director)
Why is Trilby O'Ferral (Hildegard Knef) is drawn to a group in the next apartment listening to the music of Svengali --- Will she meet the men and be attracted to two: Billy Bagot (Terence Morgan), a shy, sensitive, young man who obviously adores her on sight, and the dark, sinister hypnotist, Svengali (Donald Wolfit). Trilby, who poses for young artists, comes to know and like Billy, but fails to understand his primness and modesty --- Can their relationship grows under the watchful, jealous eye of the hypnotist. Finally, he comes forward, bringing Trilby under his spell completely. Billy is unable to comprehend the change in Trilby. She and Svengali develop a concert act and tour successfully, forsaking Trilby's former friends --- See in the final scenes if Billy's love can be unwavering and completely win out over the dark power of Svengali, only the last act will tell.

the cast includes:
Hildegard Knef ... Trilby O'Farrall (as Hildegarde Neff)
Donald Wolfit ... Svengali
Terence Morgan ... Billy Bagot
Derek Bond ... The Laird
Paul Rogers ... Taffy
David Kossoff ... Gecko
Hubert Gregg ... Durian
Noel Purcell ... Patrick O'Ferrall
Alfie Bass ... Carrell

Extras
1. Svengali (1934) Starring John Barrymore
2. Photo Gallery
3. Richard Gordon Remembers George Minter

Hats off and thanks to Robert Blair and his staff at VCI Entertainment --- VCI was named in Variety and Hollywood Reporter as the first company to produce and release motion pictures directly to the home marketplace --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- VCI are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector -- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections.

Total Time: 287 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video 8512 ~ (03/31/2009)

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Tom Brown's School Days, May 7, 2010

By 

prince of reviews "Jack" (Orlando, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: British Cinema: The Renown Pictures Literary Classics Collection (The Pickwick Papers / Tom Brown's Schooldays / Svengali) (DVD)

I only bought this product so that I could see Tom Brown's School Days. I love the 1951 version of Tom Brown's School Days. It kind of reminds me of the 1939 movie called Goodbye Mr. Chips. The two have the same elements like schoolmasters, a headmaster for each school. I like the way Robert Newton conducted himself as Dr. Arnold. He played a contrasting character in the 1950 Walt Disney movie called Treasure Island with Bobby Driscoll. Tom Brown's School Days is a great movie. I didn't see any corporal punishments in this movie so that was good. I watch it from time to time when I want to see a family movie.