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ECLIPSE 20:GEORGE BERNARD SHAW ON FIL - DVD Movie

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The works of George Bernard Shaw are like the works of William Shakespeare. They were written to be performed on the stage, not on film.

If you want these great plays to work in the motion picture medium, then adjustments must be made.

Shaw's comedies, in particular, though filled with colorful characters and brilliant wit, are also burdened with his social commentary and speechifying, which might work well in the theatre, but taxes the patience of a movie audience.

Such a "burden" was lifted when Lerner & Lowe turned the playwright's PYGMALION into the hit musical, MY FAIR LADY. Songs took the place of the cumbersome speeches.

Shaw was personally involved in both the casting and production of the first two films in this collection, MAJOR BARBARA (1941) and CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA (1945), and the result is pure Shaw. That is not, necessarily, a bad thing if you approach these pictures as a filmed version of a stage play.

Yes, in both movies, director Gabriel Pascal does his best to "open up" the action, even to the extent of incorporating some brief battle sequences into the Technicolor CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA, but at the end of the day, these are still two filmed stage plays with all of the playwright's long speeches seemingly uncut and too many key events taking place off-stage.

Again, that is not to say that pure Shaw cannot be entertaining. It can be, particularly when the splendid casts of these pictures deliver his clever dialogue.

MAJOR BARBARA stars Wendy Hiller, a favorite of the playwright, as the daughter of a wealthy munitions manufacturer (Robert Morley). She works as a Salvation Army officer and speaks out against the hypocrisy she believes exists in her organization. Rex Harrison, Robert Newton and newcomer Deborah Kerr co-star.

Although Shaw was not happy with her performance, Vivien Leigh is absolutely charming as the kittenish Cleopatra in CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA, which co-stars Claude Rains in a brilliantly subtle performance as the Roman leader.

Stewart Granger and Flora Robson are also in the cast of what was, at that time, the most expensive British film ever produced.

Pascal produced, but did not direct ANDROCLES AND THE LION, the first Shaw play to be filmed after the playwright's death. The directing assignment fell to Chester Erskine.

Although it has other issues, this 1952 release is certainly the most audience pleasing of the Eclipse trio, probably because it's more movie than filmed stage play. The witty dialogue is still present, but Shaw's lengthy social commentary has been kept to a minimum.

Do you think this movie caused the great man to turn in his grave?

Also contributing to the picture's success is the extremely likable performance of funnyman Alan Young in the title role of the shy, animal loving, Christian slave who pulls a thorn from a lion's paw and, as a result of his kind act, is spared from death in the Roman Colosseum.

Jean Simmons, Robert Newton, Maurice Evans, Elsa Lanchester and Reginald Gardiner contribute to the fun. Indeed, a confrontation scene between Gardiner and Newton with Young trying to intercede, is a comic highlight.

Only Victor Mature, as the Roman centurion who falls in love with doomed Christian Ms. Simmons, seems a bit out of his league in his role. The actor is certainly adequate, but a James Mason or a Laurence Olivier might have delivered a more interesting reading of Shaw's words.


© Michael B. Druxman

The Criterion/Eclipse Series' MAJOR BARABARA in the "George Bernard Shaw on Film" set looks all right (not a real restoration) but has a very serious drawback. The original theatrical film runs 136 minutes, and was issued that way on New Century Telecommunications and Janus VHS a few decades ago (the Janus was a 4% sped-up PAL-NTSC conversion, so it ran 131 minutes); it was aired on TV (most recently on Bravo) at 136 minutes as well. The new DVD version was apparently transferred from a heavily edited reissue for another market and runs only 122 minutes--15 minutes edited out (there were several of these re-workings for different markets, even a US version of 100 minutes, a true abomination)! Consequently, a good deal of Shaw's crisp, brilliant dialog is gone, and the dialog continuity is like Swiss cheese. I was looking forward to this film's DVD re-appearance for a long time, and to receive it as an unacceptable, heavily re-edited version, especially under the Criterion aegis (itself transferred from a new short UK edition, is a terrible disappointment. Avoid!

Criterion's Eclipse series is a collection of lost, forgotten, or overshadowed classic films, bundled and presented in simple editions. Eclipse Series 20 - George Bernard Shaw On Film gathers together three of the master playwright's works as adapted to film by the producer Gabriel Pascal: Major Barbara (1941), Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), and Androcles and the Lion (1952).

The black-and-white Major Barbara follows a bold Salvation Army officer in her quest to save souls, through her disappointment in the organization's financial dependence on questionable sponsorship, and on to a new type of hope. Featuring a superbly unforgettable performance by Wendy Hiller in the feature role, and a dreamy, young Rex Harrison as her fiancé "Dollie," this captivating and emotionally authentic film struck me as the winner of this collection.

Caesar and Cleopatra is a luxuriously produced technical spectacle starring Vivien Leigh (after her Gone With the Wind performance) in an incredibly coy and playful depiction of the Egyptian queen. Claude Rains is her opposite as the suave and confident Julius Caesar who is alternately fascinated and frustrated by this young royal.

This full-fledged costume drama was an economic disaster, with a cost of $5 million, and a loss of $3 million; imported Egyptian sand, moving filming to Cairo, it all added up. Sadly, the film itself is rather ponderous and slow moving, all the more so for those of us with modernized cinema viewing habits firmly entrenched. Still, there are some fine moments of acting amongst the dramatics - the young boy-king Ptolemy was wonderful, as was the charming Apollodorus (Stewart Granger).

Androcles and the Lion is another black-and-white production which abandons any subtle hints of wit and goes for the full-out comedic, interspersed with moments of serious philosophical contemplation. Starring Alan Young as the comical Androcles in Shaw's adaptation of the classic fable, this is the only film in the collection that wasn't directed by Pascal himself. Directed by Chester Erskine with Pascal as a producer, this film also received no input from the playwright himself (which perhaps explains the outright comedy).

Again tackling Christianity, the Christian Androcles (who has a remarkable way with animals) is a lovable, naïve fool, while the lovely Lavinia (Jean Simmons) is revealed by the film's end to be a female version of Shaw himself - passionate about morality but doubting in the existence of any one, true God. While I certainly don't agree with the renowned playwright and the strong philosophical undertones his works exhibit (mainly religious pluralism and a sort of socialist utopia), they still make for interesting works of study. Even in these adaptations, Shaw's intellect and wit are clearly apparent, with a depth to each film's dialogue that must be explored through repeated viewings.

Having been adapted from plays, and in accordance with Shaw's wishes, with little alteration, there remain large sections of `talk' within each of these films. Monologues, triumphant closing statements that drive home Shaw's conclusive points, clearly show the origin of these works. Large ensemble scenes with huge casts of extras, elaborate sets, and lovely scores lend a `big Hollywood picture feel' to each inclusion, though only Androcles found a Hollywood backer.

These DVD releases are remarkably well preserved, with no noticeable flaws in the picture. Each film is presented on its own DVD with a simple scene navigation menu included along with a play through feature. The liner notes for each disc from historian Bruce Eder are invaluable and provide a miniature film studies lesson. Eder touches upon the relationship between Shaw and Pascal, their collaborative process, choices of actors, film costs, commercial success, and more.

Though nearly all of us are familiar with My Fair Lady, based upon Shaw's Pygmalion, that is often as far as our exposure to the works of Shaw on film extends. Shaw devotees seeking to delve further into the film adaptations of Shaw's plays, will find Eclipse Series 20 - George Bernard Shaw On Film fits the bill.

3 Movies on this G.B. Shaw set : ANDROCLES AND THE LION (1952) which I have never seen, CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA (1946) which is interesting for Its stagey sets and for the talents of Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh. But the greatest film of these 3 is MAJOR BARBARA (1941). Worth the price by itself. This has never been released on home video and is a great film (Leonard Maltin gives it 4 stars). It stars Wendy Hiller, Rex Harrison, and Deborah Kerr in her film debut. Witty and intelligent comedy co-scripted by Shaw himself. A must have for film buffs!

I had been looking for Androcles and the Lion for some time. When I found it as part of a multi-movie disc I figured that I had two other movies I could watch without changing the disc. Good quality. I was pleased.

What a great idea from Criterion to give us three lesser none film versions of Shaw's plays. I had a VHS of "Major Barbara" and wore it out. Just to have another scene between Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway, the two who made international news as Higgins and Doolittle on Broadway and film in "My Fair Lady." I do think Robert Morley is miscast. I would have rather had Charles Laughton in the role.

And then there's "Caesar and Cleopatra" with Claude Raines and Vivien Leigh, both in their prime. The color is jewel-like and set and costumes stunning. There are so many fine British actors in this film: Flora Robson, Stewart Granger, Leo Genn, just to name a few. And Stanley Holloway again in a tiny role.

I haven't seen "Androcles and the Lion" yet. But can't wait.

Thanks Criterion.