Product Details

• Format: Box set, Black & White, Color, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 1.0), French (Dolby Digital 1.0)
• Subtitles: English, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: January 27, 2009
• Run Time: 405 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001K2KM82
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,344 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Sidney Poitier Collection (Edge of the City / Something of Value / A Patch of Blue / A Warm December)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Spanning three decades, this box set presents four of actor/director Sidney Poitier's lesser known, but still historically and artistically important films, including the long-unavailable debut of Hud filmmaker Martin Ritt. Originally called A Man Is Ten Feet Tall--the title featured in the accompanying trailer--Edge of the City combines the rough with the smooth as Midwestern transplant Axel (an excellent John Cassavetes) takes a job at the New York docks, where he enters the spheres of the open-minded Tyler (Poitier) and close-minded Charlie (Jack Warden). To Tyler, the racist foreman represents "the lowest form of human life," but Charlie helped Axel to secure his position, so the latter kicks him back a portion of each paycheck. Things start looking up for Axel after Tyler and his wife (Ruby Dee) set him up with a shy schoolteacher (Kathleen Maguire), but then Charlie takes his extortion campaign to the next level and corruption leads to homicide. In retrospect, Ritt's first film plays like a precursor to Cassavetes' directorial debut, the Big Apple-based, African-American-oriented Shadows.

One of the first studio films to deal with interracial romance (or even the possibility of it), A Patch of Blue was a huge hit upon its release, appealing to those looking for both social protest and a smart date movie. Poitier plays Gordon, a compassionate stranger who befriends a blind white girl named Selina (Elizabeth Hartman). Selina, the next thing to a shut-in, can only judge people by their voices, and Gordon's is unusually patient, kind. Troubles ensue when Selina's abusive mother (Shelley Winters in her second Oscar-winning performance) happens upon the pair during one of their park rendezvous. Ivan Dixon plays Poitier's militant brother, and veteran Wallace Ford appears as Selina's kindly lush of a grandfather. Jerry Goldsmith earned an Oscar nomination for his lilting piano theme, surely one of the simplest, most effective pieces of music to grace a Hollywood film. With commentary from director Guy Green.

For Something of Value, Richard Brooks, who directed Poitier in Blackboard Jungle, takes on Richard C. Ruark's bestseller in which boyhood friends become bitter enemies. Born and raised in Kenya, Kimani (Poitier), a Kikuyu native, and Peter (Rock Hudson), the son of British settlers, live as equals until they reach adulthood in the mid-1940s, by which point Kimani's limited options lead him to join the Mau Mau's struggle for independence. Though a solid Hudson receives top billing, Poitier steals the show, not least because he speaks with an accent, while Hudson does not This version omits the original Winston Churchill introduction, but still ends with his resonant quote, "The problems of East Africa are the problems of the world." The set concludes with mystery-romance-glorified PSA A Warm December starring director Poitier as doctor and motorcycle racer Matt Younger. On vacation with his daughter in London, the widower falls for Catherine (Esther Anderson), a foxy mama harboring more secrets than the script can bear, like a rare medical condition and men who follow her around town. If December is the weakest entry, it still offers its pleasures: groovy threads, funky Afro-beat, and the chance to watch Poitier cut a rug. By 1974’s Uptown Saturday Night, he would find his footing as a filmmaker. Consider this collection, then, a closer look at his talents as an actor of rare sensitivity and conviction. --Kathleen C. Fennessy and Glenn Lovell

Product Description

Edge of the City: Two New York City longshoremen Axel Nordmann (John Cassavetes), an Army deserter and Tommy Tyler (Sidney Poitier), an easy-going freight car loader who's growing friendship is threatened by Charles Malik (Jack Warden), a notably repellent punk. Something of Value: Peter McKenzie and native boy Kimani are raised as brothers in the British colony of Kenya. But cruelty and intolerance drive them apart. Kimani becomes the leader of his people, the Mau Mau. After the slaughter of whites, Peter becomes vengeful but he relents and searches for his childhood friend with hopes of ending the killing. Peace proves elusive after Kimani's wife is killed and the Mau Mau leader runs away. Peter sets out after him for a final confrontation, only to find tragedy and redemption. A Warm December: Dr. Matt Younger (Poitier) and his daughter (Curtis) arrive for a month- long visit to London for dirt-bike racing and unexpectedly, a new romance for the widowed Dr. Younger. His new love interest is the beautiful and playful Catherine (Anderson) who seems to enjoy eluding Dr. Younger as much as she enjoys eluding the mysterious men who are following her. Their romance develops gradually as does the viewers' understanding of what is going on with this charming woman and the complications she brings with her. A Patch of Blue: Accidentally blinded by her prostitute mother Rose-Ann (Oscar winner Shelley Winters) at the age of five, Selena D'Arcy spends the next 13 years confined in the tiny Los Angeles apartment that they share with "Ole Pa" (Wallace Ford), Selena's grandfather. One afternoon at the local park, Selena meets Gordon Ralfe (Sidney Poitier), a thoughtful young office worker whose kind-hearted treatment of her results in her falling in love with him, unaware that he is black. They continue to meet in the park every afternoon and he teaches her how to get along in the city. But when the cruel, domineering Rose-Ann learns of their relationship, she forbids her to have anything more to do with him because he is black. Selena continues to meet Gordon despite Rose-Ann's fury, who is determined to end the relationship for good.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally Warners releases a boxed set of their Poitier properties December 25, 2008

By calvinnme HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

"Patch of Blue" is probably the best known film in this collection. Poitier plays a man who befriends a blind white girl who has a horrible home life. Shelley Winters plays the negligent mother, and she is hard to watch as she abuses both her daughter and her father. However, the mother and grandfather unite in their dislike of the daughter's friendship with Poitier. Poitier doesn't play an all-out good guy here, he actually speaks of the girl as being a bit of a burden to him, yet he is genuinely concerned about her welfare.

"A Warm December" from 1974, was actually directed by Poitier. I always thought it was an unusual and good film, but many people don't seem to share my opinion. Poitier plays a doctor on a long vacation in England. There he meets the daughter of an African diplomat and falls in love with her. The woman has many secrets, however, and many of her mysteries amount to her not leveling with Poitier's character. It is a good and rare examination on film of the difference in cultures of American and African blacks.

"Edge of the City" is a hard-hitting 1957 film directed by Martin Ritt. Poitier and John Cassavettes play the best of friends, two New York City longshoremen. Jack Warden plays the boss of the two who is jealous of the happy nature and home life of Poitier's character. Warden performs an incredible act of violence that you think he's going to get away with until the very end.

"Something of Value", directed by Richard Brooks, has Rock Hudson and Poitier as best friends at the time of the Kenyan struggle for independence. The friends turn to enemies when Poitier joins the Kenyan struggle for independence and takes up its violent ways as well. Poitier's part is well acted and real here, some time before he began to get mainly good-guy roles. Hudson's role seems misdirected. He does OK, but his lack of keeping up the intensity of Poitier's performance hurts the film. Still a worthwhile effort especially when you consider it was made in 1957.

There is no word on extra features, so I don't even know if commentary will be included on any of these films. Poitier made most of his most memorable and celebrated films at United Artists, so Warner Bros. does not have access to those. However, these are worthwhile Poitier vehicles and worth seeing and owning.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Three for free! April 4, 2012

By Grandma Carol

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I had wanted the movie "Patch of Blue" for a LONG time. Everywhere I looked it cost around $20. Then I saw 4 movies on DVD of Sidney Poitier for under $20 from Amazon, including my "Patch of Blue". I thought, that's the price of the one movie alone. I ordered it immediately. It came sooner than I thought it would. Oh Wow! The other movies could have been nothing and I still got a deal, but they were great also. I love Amazon, and Sidney Poitier! I struck GOLD!!! Thank you Amazon!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Happy Memories March 20, 2009

By Richard W. Mink

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I remember seeing these movies in the movie theaters. All these years later, I found them still enjoyable. They are great. Too, they provide a history lesson on how relationships were fifty years ago.