Customer Reviews

Stork Club [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Being a great fan of Betty Hutton, I was really looking forward to purchasing this video of The Stork Club, which features one of her most famous songs..Doctor,Lawyer, Indian Chief. Imagine my surprise when receiving the video in finding that it was recorded in EP mode, which is the poorest quality! And on top of that, the song mentioned above was cut from the Video! This particular video is a totally worthless version of what is very likely a great film. My advice is watch it on television!

Just a quick note on the DVD quality of the Alpha Release. Print quality is completely watchable not great but if you love the movie its well worth the cheap price. Its one of the better Alpha releases. The contrast is a little light and during one of the songs the film is a little shakey. I've viewed this film on two tv's and 1 computer each with their own leval of visual clarity, with the computer being the best. The sound is pretty good it olnly gets a little hiss-y when the volume is turned up.

The songs sung by Betty Hutton are:
"Love Me"
"If I had A Dozen Hearts"
"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief"
"In the Shade Of the Old Apple Tree"
"I'm A Square In the Social Circle"

I Hope this Helps................

I can't comment on the quality of this particular video transfer, but this is a pretty fun film. Singer/comedienne Betty Hutton stars as a gal working as a hat check girl in the hottest club in town, in the waning days of WWII. Being wholesome and all-American as she is, when Hutton spots a doddering old man falling into the ocean when she's out for a swim, she naturally saves his life and hauls him back onshore. What she doesn't know is that the old curmudgeon, played in a broad Irish brogue by a winsome Barry Fitzgerald, is really a misanthropic bazillionaire, who is naturally quite moved by her selflessness. He anonymously arranges for her to be provided for financially, but can't resist hanging around to see what happens when she's given all his dough. Complications ensue when her boyfriend comes back from the war and gets bent out of shape wondering who her new sugar daddy is, and she has to try to patch things up. At the heart of this movie is a fabulous performance by Betty Hutton (who's sister Marion was a featured vocalist in the Glenn Miller band, and who bears an uncanny resemblance to Joan Cusack, sister of John...) She is as cute and as charming as they come, and when she does her comedic song-and-dance numbers, she'll blow your mind. Hutton's vocal range and physical ability are both amazing -- how many people have you seen moon-walk in high heels while belting out a great tune like "Square In A Social Circle"? The other great performance is by the no-nonsense nightclub owner, played by Bill Goodwin, who gets off some crisp one-liners. The plot drags a bit, but this is still a nice wartime B-movie, and a must-see for any potential Hutton fans out there.

This is a delightful film. I had not seen it for over 25 years, and what a treat! I don't think that any film with Betty Hutton has ever disappointed me- The musical numbers are great and the interaction between Betty and Barry Fitzgerald are hilarious. I can't speak for the difference between the VHS and the DVD, but the quality of the DVD is marginal. It is possible that this being a B movie the only prints available are marginal at best. Let me stress that the film is very watchable, but the end does have a couple of blurry areas, but they only last a second or so. Overall, this is a delightful film that you are sure to enjoy!

I live on TCM and while this isn't the best movie from that era I've seen, I do love it. I just love Betty Hutton. She's amazing and I just love her voice. Yes, the audio isn't perfect. Yes, some of the picture quality isn't there, but this was made in 1945 and it was a small budget movie. What do you expect. Just because it wasn't made in the same grandeur of Gone With The Wind or The Wizard Of Oz, doesn't make it a bad movie. Yes it's predictable. But aren't all love stories.
I love the fashion and hair styles of that era and this is a great visual pleasure for me. Lots of great hair styles, lots of great dresses.
I've watched this twice already. If you like old love stories and like to laugh, this is a good buy. God bless you Betty.

EVEN IN THIS SLIGHTLY FADED 1945 BLACK AND WHITE FORGOTTEN MOVIE COMES FORTH THE ENERGY AND ENTERTAINMENT THAT IS DEFINITELY UPBEAT. THE LIKES OF BETTY HUTTON'S LIVELY SINGING AND DANCING ADDED TO BARRY FITZGERALD'S PERFECT ONE-LINERS, GREAT MUSICAL NUMBERS AND A GOOD SUPPORTING CAST (INCLUDING THE WISE-CRACKING IRIS ADRIAN) MAKES THIS A WINNER. FROM START TO FINISH, THE FLOW IS RIGHT ON THE MARK BY EXCELLENT EDITING THAT LEAVES NO LULLS IN THIS FILM. DEFINITELY A TREAT AND ONE TO KEEP IN YOUR COLLECTION.

The Stork Club is a great black and white. It is a pleasure to watch simply becuase of it's "feel good" story line, and because Betty Hutton is so adorable. This movie makes you appreciate the values of American society in the forties. They had so much class...
Unfortunately, the film seems to get a bit blurry at times, and too bright off and on toward the middle. Some restoration should be done.

Ok, you can imagine that a dvd by this company and for this price ain't gonna be a big-budget deal. So what? I bought this because I saw one movie with Betty Hutton and really liked her, and for this price it was really a no-brainer.
I didn't expect to have so much fun and it being so entertaining. Betty Hutton is hilarious during all movie, there is NEVER A DULL MOMENT (something that can't be said about loads of so-called classics), and the supporting cast is up to it.
I don't think there is a character in this movie you won't like.
There are loads of standout funny moments, LOL for me, two of which include the mink fur.
The quality of the transfer is not great, for a couple of seconds it gets really out of focus, but it's over in a matter of seconds.
Money well spent!!!

Read that the "ever popular" Mae Busch was in the cast, so I bought the DVD hoping to see Oliver Hardy's film wife in a later effort.
It took some research but I learned that she had a tiny, uncredited role in this opus made in the year before she passed away.
While I looked for "Mrs. Hardy", I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this very well crafted musical with a star I knew very little about - I can understand why Betty Hutton had such a long and successful movie career - bundle of energy and talent. Could get sentimental and bring the viewer to tears, within seconds of delivering an uptempo swing number.
I can see a strong (presumptive) role model for Lucille Ball. Mayhe not as "funny* as Lucy, but obviously a greater singer and dancer.
Movie could be described as a B+ feature; terrific songs by Hoagy Carmichael, Livingston and Evans, etc. Excellent performance by Barry Fitzgerald as the wealthy benefactor who "repays" Hutton for saving his life in the opening scene, at a dock where BF falls into the lake. Hutton, in bathing suit attire, gets a chance to challenge contemporary, Betty Grable.
Picture runs about ten minutes too long, and the crazy, easy going plot suddenly gets a just a little cumbersome, as Don Defoe, the War hero now home with a dream of getting a band off the ground, reaches the breaking point as he tries to sort out Betty's good-hearted but complicated machinations. By that time we're getting a little exhausted, too.
Can't identify Fitzgeralds' Financial Advisor in this film, but his performance is outstanding. He's told to never reveal Fitzgerald's identity and he's totally committed to his role, despite Fitzgerald's ultimate concession that he must do so, before the whole things gets too out of hand.
There's a beautifully shot scene, where Betty can't take it anymore - her wealth has helped only DeFoes' *band* and noone else, and she attacks her wardrobe closet, so as to toss away the fabulous threads and return them; but not so assertively when the mink she bought with her new bloated bankroll, stares her in the face. (Mae Bush was the Sales Lady. She has about three lines and the only chance to see her face is to look carefully for her reflection in the mirror in the Shop. I paused the action and could see her reverse-image. Although with apparent gray hair she looks the same as on the "old days"; her distinctive voice comes through).
Mae might have made a terrific estranged wife for Barry, but the part went to an actress I'm not familiar with, who does an excellent job.
Black and white DVD quality a bit cloudy, sound passable.

the vhs version leaves out the song.."doctor, lawyer, indian chief".... the picture and sound on the DVD is better although could be improved.......the dvd outshines the video by miles........i have both versions and i'm sorry i bought the video......betty hutton is great in the film....worth having in your collection just for her antics.........betty gets 10 stars by herself....