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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Poor quality DVD,
By Robert P. Fansler (Sonoma, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Pride and the Passion (DVD)
This is not a review of the movie, but a criticism of the MGM DVD release. The Pride and the Passion DVD as first released is a pressing using old unrestored film stock, complete with scratches, dust marks, overall magenta color, poor film and sound track registration. This movie deserves a complete restoration to it's original condition. If you haven't seen the movie, buy it. If you're a film collector, be satisfied with a VHS tape as this DVD is no improvement.
27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A True Spectacle - and how about the music?!,
By
This review is from: The Pride and the Passion (DVD)
A much maligned film that still manages to really impress for one major reason -- it is a true SPECTACLE, with that monstrous CANNON dominating every scene, whether it is actually onscreen or not!Made during the decade of good old-fashioned, honest film epics, The Pride and the Passion manages to transcend its obvious flaws. It's amazing to watch this immense gun pushed and pulled by hundreds of Spanish freedom fighters across the actual terrain where the story takes place. The film is structured around several very impressive action sequences: 1.) the initial destruction and the raising of the gun 2.) the near-disaster of floating the gun on the river 3.) the attack on the French camp, complete with roaring fire-balls rolling down the hills 4.) the destruction of the French pontoon bridge 5.) the treacherous mountain pass 6.) the grueling ascent/descent over the mountain, with those incredible shots of the cannon "on-the-loose", shearing off trees as it zooms downhill (!) 7.) the Holy week procession (with the cannon disguised as a gigantic religious float, 8.) the final battle at Avila, as the gun is used to blow apart the city's walls. In between, we are treated to the Frank's big impassioned speech in the bullring, the knife fight where the bullying Jose Nieto and Cary Grant mix it up under the windmills, and lots of heated verbal exchanges between Frank and Cary (fueled, of course by their mutual "hots" for Sophia Loren, who always manages to smooth things over). The script has its problems, but it still manages to convey the nearly fanatical dedication of the Spanish fighters, keenly contrasted with the technical, objective expertise of the British military officer (Grant). When Cary finally steps forward to admonish the Bishop for his refusal to allow the desperate Spaniards to repair the cannon inside of the cathedral, we see that "cold" Cary actually has been swept up by the emotions of the Spaniard's cause, as he so eloquently pleads on their behalf. And the script does contain one REALLY COOL line, as the cruel, jaded French General (Theodore Bikel), just before the big final battle, asks his aide why the Spaniards seem so INTENT on dying, on "soaking the land with their blood".....and the aide calmly replies: "perhaps because it is THEIR land......." And the MUSIC by the unique, eccentric George Antheil, the "Bad Boy of Music" as he was called (try to locate a copy of his 1945 autobiography of the same name...what a nut!). Antheil seemed indeed to have found his true calling writing in a flashy, grandly-romantic, visceral Spanish idiom. The hauntingly beautiful "Juana's Prayer" as she prays in the cathedral and lights candles, and the following Holy week Processional, one of the true glories of all film music (which owes more than a little to the "bell-tolling" music of Mussorgsky's "Boris Goudonov") are but two of the highlights. Yeah, Frank seems hopelessly miscast, even though he does a very convincing job of underplaying his role (he HATED making the film, as he was desperate to get back to Hollywood and wallow in misery over Ava Gardner). Question: if we DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FRANK SINATRA outside of this film, what would we think of his performance? The problem is that we DO know everything about Frank's life and career, and it was a mistake for Kramer to cast him for that very reason. I've never understood why many people don't like Cary Grant in the film; he seems to be exactly what's needed in the role. And Sophia Loren does her best with a very predictable role. But it's the sense of overhwelming grandeur -- the instinctive need of the human spirit to defy tyranny and fight to the bitter end---symbolized by the film's EPIC SCALE -- the masses of humanity, travelling across the magnificent, foreboding terrain...and that massive, monolithic CANNON, representing the last hope of the Spanish people in their heroic struggle against Napoleon---all carried along by the blazing music of Mr Antheil....that makes this film, despite all of its flaws, a truly memorable cinematic experience. PS. In contrast to one of the other reviewers, I find the visual and audio quality of the DVD release very fine, with the exception of a little speck that shows up occasionally on the right side of the screen. Overall volume could have been boosted a bit; otherwise- excellent.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An adventure spectacle in praise of will over all obstacles!,
By
This review is from: The Pride and the Passion (DVD)
It is 1810... The French legions of Napoleon smash across Spain...
Captain Anthony Trumbull (Cary Grant) is ordered to retrieve a giant seven tons cannon, abandoned by the crushed and bleeding Spanish army in their retreat in one of the darkest page of nation's history... The handsome officer wants to transport it to the British lines, but when he meets Miguel (Frank Sinatra), the Spanish peasant leader of the Guerilla forces, Trumbull is forced to amend his ideas... Miguel has more direct plans... He sees in the huge gun a chance for victory... He enlists the aid of the Spanish people in raising the tremendous cannon from a deep ravine, and moves it over hill, dale, river, and mud to the walled city of Avila... During the arduous odyssey, Stolid Trumbull falls in love with Miguel's fiery mistress Juana (Sophia Loren). The desperate men were sacrificing everything for their love of country... Blood, sweat, tears and toil as they pushed, pulled, dragged, and strained the big gun halfway across Spain... But with the remarkable gun, the only symbol of resistance left in Spain, going on before them, made them feel no longer a mere band of Spanish irregulars, but a besieging army... They can fight now for what they believe, and break the French in the field... With a certain dislike to the Englishman's guts, Miguel sees himself forced to accept Trumbull's instructions, being the only man around who knows how to fire the cannon... Trumbull makes all the necessary repairs to the awesome weapon, and blows up the walls of the fortress city... Kramer's movie echoes Sam Wood's 'For Whom the Bells Tolls.' Although the characters in the film, made from Ernest Hemingway modern classic, were better drawn and motivated... 'The Pride and the Passion' is far superior visually... Blended to the passionate sound of the guitars, the voice of a singer, and the rhythmic hand claps of the patriots, Sophia provides with grace and posture a spontaneous flamenco dance... Epic in scope, with a cast of thousands, and with ocean of tents, stacked rifles, regimental banners, batteries of cannon, rows of cavalry horses and artillery mules, massed troops, "The Pride and the Passion," is an adventure spectacle in praise of will over all obstacles... The film opens with a spectacular sequence of the Spanish army retreating in defeat, battle torn and dissolute...
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