Product Details

• Actors: Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, Jean Seberg, Harve Presnell, Ray Walston
• Directors: Joshua Logan
• Writers: Alan Jay Lerner, Paddy Chayefsky
• Producers: Alan Jay Lerner, Tom Shaw
• Format: Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: February 19, 1997
• Run Time: 158 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (180 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300216195
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,124 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This film and Hello Dolly were the knockout blows to the studio movie musical, but Paint doesn't deserve its tarnished name. Ben Rumson (Lee Marvin) takes the model of a rakish derelict to an unequaled high as a prospector who teams up with a greenhorn named Pardner (Clint Eastwood), and they both end up marrying the same scorned woman (Jean Seberg). No-Name City, the prospecting town they found, is Sodom and Gomorrah without the camels, and a vision of humanity left to its own devices. The songs are mostly wonderful melodies from Lerner and Loewe, with definite high points, notably "They Call the Wind Maria" and "Wand'rin' Star." Clint Eastwood always gets flack for his versions of "I Still See Elisa" and "I Talk to the Trees," but that scorn is equally undeserved. Perhaps Paint's biggest sin, in retrospect, was trying to combine the aesthetics of the musical with the aesthetics of the male protagonists' world-weary machismo. Not the easiest task, but Paint pulls it off. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bad rap...UNDESERVEDLY..., June 25, 2002

By 

R. Gawlitta "Coolmoan" (Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Paint Your Wagon (DVD)

The DVD version of "Paint Your Wagon" is as good as it gets. The 2.35:1 LBX shows outdoor panoramas that are often breath-taking. Lee Marvin had recently won the Oscar, followed it with "The Dirty Dozen", and shows a confidence that carries this film to new heights. He's never been so good, or as good, since. The Lerner & Loewe score is wonderful. Marvin's "Wand'rin' Star" is actually quite touching, and Harve Presnell is here to give justice to the best song in the show, "They Call the Wind Maria". These songs are augmented with excellent support from the chorale of the legendary Roger Wagner. Additional musical ideas came from Andre Previn. What a great effort from the greatest musical icons of the period! Top this off with a screenplay by Paddy Chayevsky (very loosely adapted from the stage show), and it's a bawdy, irreverent and totally fun film. Clint Eastwood was much maligned for his attempt at singing (and NOT so terrible, considering these were macho guys...) This film has had a bad rap since it was released, and it's not that bad. It's quite silly, but, in this case, silly is good. There are some serious issues being dealt with. This film's greatness depends on your willingness to accept it as entertainment; if you are the least bit "prudish", forget it. To quote the preacher's teenage son: "If you don't drink or smoke, you're missing out on the 2nd and 3rd best thing in life". Don't judge; enjoy!

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Pardner" and Ben and Elizabeth Make Three!, February 14, 2003

By 

L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (Huntington Beach,CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Paint Your Wagon (DVD)

This review refers to the Paramount "Widescreen Collection" DVD Edition of "Paint Your Wagon"....

In the gold-mining town of "No Name City"(Clint gets a name in this one but the town doesn't),Ben Rumson(Lee Marvin) and "Pardner"(Clint Eastwood)have a 50/50 relationship all the way. They split the gold they find, they pay each other's debt's off, and pick each other up from druken stupors. Pardner seems to be doing most of the work on that end of things though!

The town is filled with burly men, who haven't seen a woman in quite a while...That is until some Morman's come to town. The husband has one more wife than he needs and auctions Elizabeth(Jean Seberg) off to the men. The winner? Ben Rumson of course. But partners share everything you know...so Ben, Pardner, and Elizabeth become a trio.They just seem to fit right into this town without scruples.

The raucous action, the laughs and the wonderful music by Lerner and Lowe,Andre Previn, and even the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, are non-stop.There's the kidnapping of prostitutes to "improve" the town,a scheme hatched to collect lost gold,and a religious family comes to town that leads to some hilarious situations, and may change the whole atmosphere of the bawdy town.Some of the marvelous songs you'll be treated to(and may be humming for a couple of days after) are "Paint Your Wagon","No Name City", "I Talk to The Trees"(sung by none other then Eastwood himself), and "Born Under a Wandrin Star"(sung by Marvin)...Okay so Clint and Lee's vocal stylings are not my reason for giving 5 stars to this film!But you will be mesmerized by Harve Presnell's beautiful rendition of "They Call the Wind Mariah"!

The cast is as marvelous as the music and the story.In addition to the actors mentioned above you'll also find Ray Walston and Paula Trueman(Outlaw Josey Wales). It was expertly directed by Joshua Logan(Camelot/South Pacific). The cinematography is gorgeous and is also a big part of the story.Although the film runs 2:40, I barely knew the time had past. It was just too much fun!

It's a great DVD. This film was released in 1969 and looks fabulous. Beautiful colors and a sharp, clear picture in widescreen are a joy to watch. There are no "special features" as far as interviews or documentaries but you have the choice of 5.1 Surround or stereo surround. The music and dialouge are perfect.There's even the original intermission with a medley of the songs. There are also Subtitles in English for hearing impaired viewers. These are great, they are in the black bar area and do not interfere with the picture, They denote when a song is playing, and even tell you the language that the song is being sung in.(The opening song is sung in many different languages, as many of the miners are immigrants)It may also be viewed in French(mono), and there is a Theatrical Trailer.

Want to know what Clint's name really is in this one? You have to stay to the end to find out(sorry, they said "No Spoilers!)

Have fun with this one.....Laurie

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Movie, Mediocre DVD, July 27, 2001

By 

Thomas A. Holmes (Johnson City, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Paint Your Wagon (DVD)

PAINT YOUR WAGON is maybe one of the first counter-culture musicals, and the fact that it was made by the same director, Joshua Logan, who made SOUTH PACIFIC invites remarkable comparison. Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, Harve Presnell, and Ray Walston stand out in the cast, mostly of nonsingers, giving the musical a realistic edge we don't see again until David Byrne's TRUE STORIES. Basically, a city of men in Gold Rush-era California see their standards conflict with those imposed by the introduction of conventional morality to their settlement. The notion that Rumson and Pardner accept being the husbands of Elizabeth as, in her words, "a beautiful, humane solution," saves the main romance from being a run-of-the-mill love story. Marvin's comedic capacity plays well with his foil, Eastwood, and Ray Walston heads the ensemble cast in an impressive way.

Unfortunately, Paramount has released a bare-bones DVD. The picture and sound are much better than the VHS version, of course, but there's little else. The chapters are NOT coded to the songs. The DVD contains the trailer, but no other background information. While, of course, some of the principals have passed away, it would have been nice to have a comment or two from Clint Eastwood. I would also like to hear some of the singing auditions--in a film where almost everyone sings, Jean Seberg's voice must have been interesting for the director to decide to overdub her. I realize this movie does not have the cultural resonance of SOUND OF MUSIC, but it would be terrific to learn more about PAINT YOUR WAGON.

If you're looking for a movie with a couple of memorable songs ("I Was Born under a Wandering Star" and "They Call the Wind Mariah"), and the type of cantankerous social satire you find in NETWORK (Paddy Chayefsky adapted the stageplay), you'll enjoy PAINT YOUR WAGON. If you already own this movie, you buy this disc to have a crisper, cleaner version once you've worn out your VHS copy and/or have gotten tired of switching tapes midway.