Customer Reviews

The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

You could call him the quiet one. McQueen had a talent for portraying quite a lot with minimal dialog and that's the way he liked it. He has maybe 75 lines off dialog in "The Magnificent Seven" yet his presence is equal to that of star Yul Brynner. You'd be forgiven for being confused about which Steve McQueen boxed set to purchase. MGM has recently released "The Steve McQueen Collection" which features four McQueen classics that have previously been available on DVD; "The Thomas Crown Affair", "The Magnificent Seven", "Junior Bonner" and "The Great Escape".

"The Essential Steve McQueen Collection" is a different beast entirely; it does feature 1 title that is no different than the previously issued version -"Papillon". All the rest have either never been issued or, in the case of "Bullitt", are now in two disc deluxe editions that make this set a worthwhile addition to any collection.

The crown jewel of this set is the new deluxe edition of "Bullitt". McQueen plays San Francisco detective Frank Bullitt. He's been assigned to protect a witness for a major trial. The witness, though, is murdered. Before the post-mortem has begun, Bullitt hunts for the killers and plans on nailing them. Featuring an amazing high speed chase through the streets of San Francisco and shot entirely on location, "Bullitt" was Peter Yates' first major US film and it crackles with energy.

"Papillon" tells the story of a thief nick-named Papillon for the large butterfly tattooed on his chest. (McQueen) framed for murder in France and sent to Devil's Island for life. From the moment he steps on the boat headed to the prison he's planning his escape. He agrees to protect a financial thief Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). Schaffner's film portrays Papillon's attempt to survive on Devil's Island until he can figure out an escape plan. Although this isn't Schaffner's best film, it has a number of powerful moments that equal his classic films "Patton", "Planet of the Apes" and "The War Lord". McQueen more than holds his own with method actor Hoffman.

"The Cincinnati Kid" features McQueen as Eric Stoner a poke playing ace who challenges the best gambler around "the Man" Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson). A terrific performance by Edward G. Robinson allows Robinson to almost steal the picture under McQueen's nose. With a terrific supporting cast, "The Cincinnati Kid" would be one of the most memorable films about gambling until "Rounders" three decades later.

"Never So Few" features McQueen in the third billed role of Bill Ringa a member of the O.S.S. fighting the Japanese during World War II in Burma. Ringa and his Captain Tom Reynolds (Frank Sinatra) are in Burma to train the Kachin natives in how to fight the Japanese. Reynolds fights dirty when Chinese rebels cross over to Burma to kill and loot the American soldiers stationed there. Although it's not one of director John Sturges ("The Magnificent Seven". "Ice Station Zebra") best films, "Never So Few" provides McQueen with a role that continued his breakthrough as a actor. It also inspired Sturges to cast McQueen in "The Magnificent Seven".

"The Getaway" almost got away without being made. Originally Peter Bogdanovich was to direct with his girlfriend actress Cybil Shepherd in the lead. When she dropped out so did Bogdanovich. Luckily director Sam Peckinpah stepped in and the rewritten script by Walter Hill was tooled for McQueen. Scandal broke out on the set when McQueen became involved with his co-star Ali McGraw (who was then married to Paramount head Robert Evans). McQueen plays thief Doc McCoy who has been paroled. The only problem is that Sheriff Beynon (Ben Johnson) expects him to do a big robbery for him. He plans on killing McCoy afterward but things don't quite work out the way that Beynon intended.

"Tom Horn" (McQueen) a tracker and "enforcer" who dispensed justice in the old west takes a job to stop cattle thieves. When things get messy and Horn has to kill some of the rustlers, the ranchers who hired him want Horn stopped. He's put on trial for the murder of a 15 year old boy. The next to last film McQueen made before he died in 1980, is a surprisingly powerful and great western. The screenplay by novelist/screenwriter Thomas McGuane ("The Missouri Breaks", "92 in the Shade", "Rancho Deluxe") and Bub Shrake ("Nightwing", "J.W. Coop", "Songwriter") portrays a character out of time; Horn's style of dispensing justice faces the gray world of corruption and politics. McQueen gives one of his best nuanced performances in a film that didn't do all that well at the box office. It's a pity as it's a great movie that deserves a wider audience. Luckily, for those who buy the boxed set they'll finally get a chance to see this classic western.

The previous DVD edition of "Bullitt" looked quite good but can't compare to the newly digitally remastered transfer here. Image clarity, color and detail for "Bullitt" is superb. The sound is surprisingly spry with a nice 5.1 remix that doesn't quite use the format to its best advantage but that's not a surprise given that the film is nearly 40 years old. "Papillon" comes with the same transfer as it received in 2000. Image quality is good but the negative could use restoration and/or digital filtering to clean up the print/improve it. It does feature a recent 5.1 remix (which wasn't advertised on the box of the previous release and I don't recall if it had it or not on the 1999 release but I suspect not).The colors aren't bright and vibrant but they fit the general atmosphere of the film and are fairly true to the original theatrical exhibition if a bit faded. "The Getaway" looks terrific again considering the age of the movie. The blacks are rock solid and the colors as vivid and bright as they've ever been. There's the occasionally soft image but, on the whole, "The Getaway" looks marvelous. "Never So Few" also looks quite good particularly when you consider the age of the negative. It receives a solid transfer with bright colors and nice image clarity. "The Cincinnati Kid" also looks exceptionally good with nice color reproduction and image quality. It's clear that some digital restoration was done to the most recent releases here and "Kid" does benefit from it. "Tom Horn" looks extremely good with sharp images, bright and vivid colors. Although a tad grainy (like most of the films here) that has more to do with the stock used to shoot the films and the condition of the negative than the transfer. In most cases, the graininess adds to the character of the films. All six films feature 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround soundtracks (in addition to the 5.1 remasters for "Papillon"). All sound crisp with nice clarity to the dialog and music.

"Bullitt" gets the most attention here. Featuring two fine documentaries on the film and McQueen, we also get the original vintage featurette on the film. "The Cutting Edge" examines the the art of movie editing with a glimpse into other films during the editing process as well. "Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool" is a terrific biography on McQueen that provides a lot of information previously unknown about the actor. There's also the original theatrical trailer included as well. "The Getaway" features the original theatrical trailer only. "Papillon" has the original promotional featurette produced for the film as part of the extras as well as the trailer. "The Cincinnati Kid", "Never So Few" and "Tom Horn" all have only the original theatrical trailer for the respective films. It's a pity that Warner chose not to do a documentary or at the very least a featurette on "Tom Horn". Since it's about a real historical figure and making the film was a passion for McQueen, it would have been appropriate and provided much needed information on the historical figure and the production of this fine overlooked film.

"Bullitt" comes with an excellent commentary by director Peter Yates. "The Getaway" features a "virtual" commentary culled from interviews of McQueen, Peckinpah and McGraw as well as a commentary by Peckinpah biographers/documentarians Nick Redman, Paul Seydor, Garner Simmons and David Weddle. "The Cincinnati Kid" has a marvelous trivia filled commentary track by director Norman Jewison.

Between this release and "The Steve McQueen Collection", McQueen fans will have most of his essential films. Although there are a few gems missing from these collections (due to contractual issues no doubt), most of the films here are among the best McQueen made. "The Getaway" and "Bullitt" receive most of the attention here with terrific commentary tracks and extras. "Papillon" probably could have used a face lift with a new digital transfer and a commentary track by a film historian (or Dustin Hoffman) but it looks like we'll have to wait for this minor classic to get its due another time. The other missed opportunity in this superb set is the lack of extras for "Tom Horn" One of McQueen's finest later films and a terrific western that presaged films like "The Unforgiven", "Open Range" and "Wyatt Earp", it's a perfect period piece about the transition of the old west into civilization and those who were lost along the way.

Warner Bros. obviously put a lot of work into this new Steve McQueen boxed set. I bought it today, and I'm astounded. I always loved McQueen, but I never knew "who he was". You can finally find that out by watching a great new documentary called
STEVE McQUEEN:THE ESSENCE OF COOL, which is one of two superb documentaries on the remastered BULLITT 2 Disc Special Edition in this box (more on the other later...)

You also get McQueen and Dustin Hoffman in the magnificent PAPILLION, McQueen and Ali MacGraw in the controversial and enticing THE GETAWAY, which features commentaries from a slew of
devotees to its director Sam Peckinpah that goes beyond the reverential and the astute. It's almost frighteningly obsessive in how much these folks live, breath, and eat Sam Peckinpah. In real life Peckinpah was not a happy person. I hope the same thing can't be said for the commentators.

Then there is a WONDERFUL commentary on the new-to-DVD CINCINNATI KID. Long overdue for release, this is a sparkling transfer for a 40 year old movie that feels quite contemporary,
Director Norman Jewison gives a wonderful, insightful commentary, and it's great to see such stalwart stars as Ann Margret, Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden & Joan Blondell. Going backward, you get John Sturges' entertaining 1959 Sinatra vehicle NEVER SO FEW, but it was McQUeen who stole the movie. He's wonderful, and so is Sinatra and his leading lady Gina Lollabrigida. Another DVD debut. Lastly is McQueen in his 2nd to last film, TOM HORN. A sturdy western that holds up very well.
It's obvious McQueen was no longer his virile, youthful self,
but it doesn't effect the entertainment value of the piece.

Then the cherry on the sundae. THe definitive McQueen film. BULLITT. It's been given a spanking new transfer, a commentary by its director, the ESSENCE OF COOL DOCUMENTARY, and a masterful documentary about the art of film editing called THE CUTTING EDGE.

Beautifully packaged, THIS is what a boxed set devoted to a legend ought to be...as opposed to MGM's slapped togeher reissue for four already-released films, including one that isn't even anamorphic.

Shame on MGM.

Bravo Warner Bros.!

If anyone deserves a box set it's Seve McQueen. The greatest of the Hollywood "Mans Man". McQueen made some great movies for Warner Brothers as he did for MGM before them, and we are lucky to get the fantastic Warner Brothers DVD treatment that they have bestowed on their recent box set.

While The GREAT ESCAPE is my personal favorite McQueen film I am happy to see BULLIT, and NEVER SO FEW in the same set. It's pretty funny seeing a movie not starring Steve McQueen in his box set. Never so few was a staring vehicle for Frank Sinatra, but because of his scene stealing co-star Sinatra went on record as calling NEVER SO FEW a McQueen film. It also had a great Director John Sturges who also made THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, and THE GREAT ESCAPE with McQueen.

PAPILLON, THE GETAWAY, THE CINCINATTI KID, and the very underated TOM HORN are also included in the awesome box set. I was not yet born when Steve McQueen passed away, but I can tell you this, I have not been on the planet for more than twenty three years, but I can safely say that there has not been a actor/stuntman cooler than Steve McQueen.

One of my all time favorites...Steve McQueen is great in the title role of a man who wants to be the best and the only way he can do it is to beat the best...Edward G Robinson's Lancy Howard. Right up there with Rounders as the best poker movie ever made. Like all great movies the supporting acting is first rate...check out Ann Margaret and Tuesday Weld and the always good Karl Maldin. This is a must see for movie fans.

Originally set in St. Louis in Jessup's novel and transferred by the screenwriters (wisely) to more sporting New Orleans, this production of The Cincinnati Kid scores big with any fan of card play. The cast is an assembly of veteran actors centered around the number one box office draw at the time, Steve McQueen. You could say that Edward G. Robinson and Karl Malden co-star due to the importance of their roles throughout the movie, but make no mistake, McQueen was the reason people went to see this picture.(and no doubt Ann Margaret) I'll leave the description of the plot to other reviewers who have done well here and tell you that McQueen was extremely concerned during the making of this production that Edward G. Robinson was taking over the picture! His presence on screen is "unmatched" and I say that with a twinkle in the eye because of a scene where Robinson speaks to McQueen holding a lit matchstick that is held so long you can't understand why he was not burned. It is a powerful scene and was one of the reasons McQueen raised a fuss about his amount of time in the picture. The film is serious about five card stud poker as a professional gambling game and has sub-plots that had nothing to do with the original novel.Malden's performance as 'The Shooter' is excellent but you get that "Streets of San Francisco" feeling as you watch him. Joan Blondell seems to reprise her role as Zeena from "Nightmare Alley". The "Southern-ess" of this film is a strong point and the time period is during the depression. The only other film to match the atmosphere was "Hard Times" with Charles Bronson. If you are looking for an entertaining, different locale film about an era far removed from today's pace this is a great movie to get. One of the best films about gaming and gambling ever made!
With respect to the current DVD copy, I have a complaint to make regarding the scene specific commentary provided by two idiots named Phil Gordon and Dave Foley. Instead of a discussion about the scenes we are addressed on the superior card game of "Texas Hold'em" and they make BIG mistakes on what they are observing because they don't know anything about the 1930s and what the world was like back then. One was when McQueen is packing his bag. Phil and Dave comment that he is packing several decks of cards when in reality it is about 5 packs of Lucky Strike Cigarettes, which featured a green box with the red target circle. Another is when Edward G. Robinson and Mcqueen & Co. are "smelling" the packs of cards brought from the Bridge club. They are checking the smell of the celophane to see if the decks may have been opened. Norman Jewison gets this right in his commentary, but the two idiots think it is some sort of addiction by card fanatics "liking the smell". They are wrong on just about everything they see regarding play of 5 card stud and they both give themselves away as unqualified reviewers. A real downer on an otherwise excellent DVD.

The Cincinnati Kid is an excellent movie about a young card player who so desperately wants to beat the best so that he can become "the man." The movie is about the Cincinnati Kid, real name Eric Stoner, a great card player in New Orleans always searching for ways to better himself as a card player. When he finds out that the greatest poker player alive is in town, he must play him to find out if he is the best. This is a very good movie that deals with the desire to be number one at all costs. At times this movie reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode with Jonathan Winters and Jack Klegman. It helps to have some knowledge of poker since the last half of the movie deals with the actual duel between the Kid and Lancey Howard as they knock off their opponents until it is only them. The movie is very exciting especially the build-up to the final game.

Steve McQueen is very believable as the Cincinnati Kid. It is easy to see him get into the role as the young man who so desperately wants to be the best. Edward G. Robinson gives an equally good performance as Lancey Howard, the veteran player who battles the Kid. Ann-Margaret is gorgeous as Melba Williams, a married woman so obviously interested in the Kid. Karl Malden is also great as Shooter Williams, the dealer who is friends with both men involved in the game. The film also stars Rip Torn in a devilish role, Tuesday Weld as McQueen's girlfriend, Christian, Jack Weston, and Cab Calloway. This is a very good movie that deserves a DVD release. For fans of poker and McQueen, check out The Cincinnati Kid!

Although there are some that will say that this movie is too contrived and predictable, I will say to them that this is a perfect example of good movie making that seems to have slipped away.

You don't have overdone special effects or gratuitous sex and violence, but a very good script with quality actors doing a very good job.

Yes, you have insinuated sex, such as the scene between Ann-Margret and Steve McQueen, but there was absolutely no nudity. Kind of like when radio used to make you use your imagination, whereas television and movies these days seem to resemble "chewing gum for the brain."

I was a young boy when I first saw this moving in 1965, and I never appreciated what a true sex symbol Ann-Margret really was. Man that woman was smoking hot! Tuesday Weld is a really pretty girl in this one too, but the sexy knob is turned down a bit on her for her part.

Do we have the equivelent of Edward G. Robinson today? Yeah, maybe Pacino or DeNiro, but he was in a class of his own. The ever reliable Karl Malden and Rip Torn turn in solid performances job also.

This is a very much worth watching movie. Buy it and wait for a rainy or snowy day. You won't be disappointed.

McQueen was so cool that even Norman Jewison couldn't understand him at times. In a funny anecdote on the Cincinnati Kid director commentary on disc 4, Jewison says that McQueen looked at him at one point on set and said, "Are you twisting my melon, man?" Jewison then laughs and says, "I never knew WHAT he was talking about, he was so hip." Yeah, baby! Now that's cool.

This box set is done up right -- has all my favorites except Magnificent Seven, and is heavy on McQueen's better known films. So far I've watched all but Never So Few, but I had already gotten my money's worth after the Bullitt double disc. The documentaries are funny and insightful. The rest is just icing on one big cake of cool. We certainly don't make 'em like McQueen anymore, but at least we have a hefty body of work to treasure -- R.I.P. Steve!

The Cincinnati kid was (Steve McQueen,) and he was labeled as the best poker player. His aim was to prove it to an older and more experienced poker player;(Edward G. Robinson.) The kid wanted to prove his ability of a good poker player by playing an honest game. I liked the way the film portrays the star's defeat. There's one thing that I couldn't understand about this movie, the setting looked as if it was in the 1920's or 30's; and the character's wardrobe were the style of the 1960's. Confusing as it looked, this was still a pretty good movie; especially for those of you poker players.

Overall this is a highly recommended set of six different Steve McQueen movies. It's a "must-have" package for McQueen fans or someone who enjoys 1960's era action or adventure films. If you have even the slightest interest in buying any two or three of the six movies offered, then it well worth buying the box set and not the individual DVDs. Here are my reviews of the six DVDs included in this package:



BULLIT

The synopsis of this film revolves around a mobster named Johnny Ross who flees Chicago after embezzling $2 million from a crime syndicate and goes to San Francisco to testify for a power-driven politician named Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn). Police Lt. Frank Bullit (Steve McQueen) is assigned to protect Ross for several days prior to testifying. Two hitmen manage to shoot Ross and this sets up the remainder of the movie where Bullit has to not only find these killers but has to appease Chalmers and Bullit's bosses in the police department since he was accountable for Ross's protection.

The signature of this film is of course the wild and fast chase between Bullit's '68 Mustang and the killers' Dodge Charger through the hilly streets of San Francisco. By today's Hollywood standards it's a very ordinary chase, but in its day, it was clearly a revolutionary segment. There were obviously car chases in movies prior to this film, but this chase brought filmmaking to a much higher energy level. But the film has more to offer than just a memorable high-speed chase. First, the character of Bullit played by McQueen is arguably the first of many to follow of young, stylish, and radical cops that a young generation could identify with. It's the coolness of McQueen under fire, his style of fast cars, a sexy girlfriend and fashionable clothes that elevate him above the typical suit-and-tie, family man, and vocally brash movie cops of the past. The other strength of the movie is that it does have a clever twist in the plot about two-thirds through the film. Another enjoyable aspect of the movie is the setting of urban San Francisco in the late `60's. We don't see hippies per se, but we do see professional people in "mod" clothes. Probably the best example of this historic era of fashion disaster is in a scene where Bullit meets an informant name Eddy who has a custom trimmed beard, trendy glasses, and a loud suit.

As for the DVD, the color picture is sharp and pristine and the audio is excellent. There are plenty of bonuses including a short feature of the filming of Bullet, the history of editing and the best feature by far, a comprehensive film biography of McQueen entitled, "The Essence of Cool". There is also real-time commentary by director Peter Yates.

Movie: B+

DVD Quality: A



THE GETAWAY

The movie opens in a Texas prison where Doc McCoy (Steve McQueen) is doing time for armed robbery. He is denied parole and has to come to terms that the only way to get out early is to bribe a prison board member, Jack Beynon (Ben Johnson) by indulging him with sexual favors with McCoy's wife Carol (Ali McGraw). The dirty deed is done and McCoy is then paroled, but Beynon coerces Doc into doing one major bank job with a collection of other crooks that Beynon has assembled. This sets up a big heist with several twists and turns along the way for an action packed film.

I've seen just about all of McQueen's movies and this is my favorite. First, I like the opening scenes in a real Texas prison. The guards and other prisoners aren't actors - they are the real deal. This rest of the movie is shot in Texas also. I don't recall seeing a single scene that appeared to be made in a Hollywood backlot. The plot of this movie is original. It's more than just a bank robbery and car chases. There are a series of interesting confrontations and slick double-crosses that add a lot of pizzazz to the film. The street-smart character of Doc McCoy played by McQueen is what sets this apart from most action films. His uncanny knack of figuring out what's going on and eluding his advisories is what makes it an extra special movie. Ali McGraw is beautiful, but her acting is suspect at times. Sally Struthers gives a wonderful performance as a ditzy, yet too sympathetic hostage. Slim Pickens also does a stellar job as an older, but very spirited cowboy.

As for the DVD, the widescreen color presentation is near pristine. The stereo audio quality is excellent. There are plenty of commentary features on this DVD.

Movie: A-

DVD Quality: A-



PAPILLON

The movie Papillon opens in France in the early 20th century. The main character is a safecracking Frenchman named Henri 'Papillon' Charriere who was convicted of killing a pimp - a crime Papillon insists he was wrongfully accused of. He is sentenced for life in prison in French Guiana. During his voyage from France to South America, Papillon befriends another prisoner named Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman) who smuggled a small fortune of money with him. Upon arriving in French Guiana, they find the conditions and the climate of prison camp extremely arduous and learn that many inmates die within the first year of imprisonment. Together, Papillon and Dega combine their skills and resources for an escape from this prison colony.

The film is visually moving with many scenes showing the convicts in extremely hostile conditions. The remote locations used were impressive - especially in this widescreen color format. Steve McQueen gives the best performance of this career playing a prisoner who is subjected to near-death treatment is several parts of the film. While his verbal communication is decent in this film, it's his physical presence that is absolutely remarkable. Dustin Hoffman's performance is good, but nothing extra special. But overall, it's an extremely good adventure movie that should be about 130 minutes long instead of 2-1/2 hours. All in all, it's an intriguing film, but I wasn't blown away by it.

As for the DVD, although the widescreen color and clarity are impressive, the film transfer did pickup some tiny blemishes throughout the movie. For a 1973 film, it would have been nice to see a fully restored presentation of this picture. The stereo audio quality is excellent. There are only a few short bonus features.

Movie: B+

DVD Quality: B+



TOM HORN

The movie is based on a true story. Western cowboy Tom Horn (Steve McQueen) has a well-known reputation as fearless fighter for just causes. The setting is circa 1901 in Wyoming and Horn rides into a small town. After displaying his toughness in several confrontations, a local rancher named John Coble (Richard Farnsworth) hires Horn to stop a cattle-rustling problem that has been plaguing his ranch for sometime. Horn agrees to work for him and carries out justice in his own way. He does a great job for Coble - almost too good and then Horn is faced with a different set of problems.

The first hour of the movie is terrific with plenty of action and excitement. It's a stunning visual presentation of Steve McQueen in a beautiful Western setting, playing a character who enforces the law his way with excitement and skill. But then the last 35 minutes of the film is sedated and ambiguous when the story goes in a completely different direction. Furthermore in this last segment, the character Tom Horn appears punchless and apathetic. Since it is based on a true story, he may have really behaved this way, and that's fine, but that part of the story should have been condensed down to 3 or 5 minutes and stayed with the prior theme for a longer duration. The film has plenty of merits, but the screen writing for the last part was poorly done and cripples the mood of the entire movie.

As for the DVD, it's a sharp and pristine widescreen color presentation. The audio is excellent. Only two bonuses: the trailer and a `Wanted Dead or Alive' promotion.

Movie: B-

DVD Quality: A



THE CINCINNATI KID

The setting is during the Depression in New Orleans, mostly in the French Quarter. Eric Stoner also known as "The Cincinnati Kid" (Steve McQueen) is a very formidable stud poker player. He has a girlfriend named Christian (Tuesday Weld) and a longtime buddy named Shooter (Karl Malden). Shooter has a very attractive girlfriend named Melba Nile (Ann-Margaret). The movie is setup for a big showdown with poker legend Lancy Howard (Edward G. Robinson), who comes to New Orleans to play the "The Kid". Stoner's relationships with Christian, Shooter and Melba add a dynamic to the film that makes it more than just a "pure" poker movie.

There's a lot to like about this film. The color cinematography is superb and the props and setting for the French Quarter are a feast for the eyes (one major gaff however was a shot of a diesel train engine). In a fantastic opening scene, we see a Dixieland band playing a funeral march and then quickly changing the music to an upbeat jazz song with plenty of street dancing. The movie itself was masterfully crafted and the characters were unique and original. There are quite a few strong performances including great acting by Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden and Rip Torn. I think the thing the made this movie work is that it was not about winning or losing for the sake of money. The central issues were winning for prestige and notoriety and making someone lose to destroy their ego. The ending is gutsy and I'll just leave it at that. My only critical comment of the film is that the onscreen relationship between McQueen and Weld lacked chemistry. But overall it's an extremely entertaining movie.

As for the DVD, it's a beautiful and flawless widescreen color presentation. The audio is excellent. There are a few worthwhile bonuses including commentary by director Norman Jewison and scene-specific analysis by poker commentators Phil Gordon and Dave Foley.

Movie: A-

DVD Quality: A



NEVER SO FEW

Frank Sinatra stars as Tom Reynolds, an American Army Captain who leads a group of allied forces combined with the native tribesmen in Burma to fight the Japanese in WWII. The movie is mix of war situations in the Burmese jungles coupled with a romance involving a foreign woman (Gina Lollobrigida) he meets while on leave in India. There are some good things about this movie and some bad things. By far the best thing is some nice color footage of remote areas in Southeast Asia. There are only a few battle scenes but they work effectively in this story. There are also some notable (and young) actors in this film including Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Dean Jones and Peter Lawford.

Unfortunately, the film is marred by a number of problems. First, the Sinatra character, Tom Reynolds, is a renegade leader and does things like shoot his own wounded soldier to put him out of his misery and later does a multitude things worthy for court marshal. In addition, Reynolds consistently shows blatant disrespect with every superior officer he comes in contact with. But in a very heavy-handed way near the end of the movie, Reynold's actions along with his arrogant and condescending attitude are dealt with in a way that wasn't at all believable and at the same time very disturbing. If you are someone like me who respects the military and appreciates and understands the reason for rules and protocol, and know that rebellious people have no place in the armed forces, then you will certainly be bothered with the outcome of the movie. The other problem is this romance between Sinatra and Gina Lollobrigida. Without a doubt it, there was clearly too much time devoted to this relationship which was positively boring. The final problem was the dialogue among the soldiers. Most of it seemed to be just poor attempts at witty conversations. Overall, if you are a WWII film buff, you may find some redeeming qualities in this movie, but other than that, there just isn't that much there.

As for the DVD, the widescreen color presentation is very good but there are some tiny spots of film deterioration throughout the film. The audio is very good. The only DVD bonus is a trailer.

Movie: C-

DVD Quality: B