Customer Reviews

United Artists Best Picture Collection (Marty / West Side Story / The Apartment / Tom Jones)

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The following is a brief synopsis of each of the four films included in this collection.

Marty (1955) - This is one of my favorites and has a very simple plot and premise. Marty is a plain looking bachelor in New York City who works as a butcher. He has a group of bachelor friends he goes out with regularly, and he lives with his widowed mother in the house in which he grew up. One night he meets a plain looking girl, and they connect. However, his friends object because they think she's not pretty enough, and his mother objects because she is afraid of being shoved aside if Marty marries.

The Apartment (1960) - This film was groundbreaking in the sense that it dealt with sexual harrassment in the workplace in a way that was quite realistic for 1960. All the women are in menial jobs at the insurance company where Jack Lemmon's character works, and all of the executives are men. The executives look at their female workforce as one big harem and won't let a little thing like the fact that they are married and intend to stay that way interfere with their fun. This is where C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) comes in. He trades the use of his apartment to these executives in return for promotions and perks. However, Baxter has an attack of conscience when he comes face-to-face with the collateral damage that one of these executives is doing in the person of Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine).

West Side Story (1961) - A great musical that, unfortunately is once again being presented in a Best Picture collection in fullscreen. There is a two-disc version in widescreen, and I wish it had been included. Many people complain because they feel it is too dated to still be entertaining. However, tryng to give a time-transcending realistic view of urban gang violence is not what this film is about. The real attractions - the romance and the music and dancing - are as great as they were almost 50 years ago.

Tom Jones (1963) - This film hasn't been available on DVD in recent years unless you bought it used. This is the directorial cut which has about ten minutes trimmed from what was in the original theatrical release. There's much argument as to whether this film should have won Best Picture or not. It is true to the original literature of Henry Fielding and there is much tongue in cheek dialogue going on. It is also one of those period pieces with much going on for it artistically in addition to the screenplay, which does get complex. Finally, a very young Albert Finney brings the rascally but good natured Tom to life.

Don't expect Warner Home Video here - there are no extras on any of the films other than the occasional trailer. The real advantage to this collection is being able to get a copy of Tom Jones on DVD in widescreen that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

This collection includes the director's cut of Tom Jones, West Side Story and the two black and white motion pictures: The Apartment, and Marty.

I purchased this collection for Tom Jones. A single Tom Jones DVD or VHS tape alone often sells for more than the entire price I paid for this collection. None of the extra material such as interviews or out-takes is included with this collection. If you are interested in these movies at an economical price, you might consider this alternative.

I enjoyed Henry Fielding's longish novel. I purchased the BBC / A&E production as well. Each of these motion picture versions has its merits. Some Amazon reviewers have criticized the UA version's format that in my opinion imitates the scene narration format used in the original novel. My only wish is that Sophia Weston's admonishment of Tom Jones shown at the end of the A&E version were also in the UA version.

While the less sexually graphic UA version was self-censored by the restraints of 1960 film production environment, I think it is a product that I can show to my teenage children with less concern for censorship. The A&E production has some nudity that that is gratuitous in my opinion.


Younger adults might be jaded by color motion pictures but only at the risk of missing great performances by actors of the 1960's motion pictures. The stories in both the black and white offerings are still relevant as when they were made.

West Side story is still a great musical despite our culture's desensitization to gang violence and overall loss of innocence.

This is a good collection. It offers good value at an economical price that can be enjoyed for as long as you have this collection.

I bought this bargain expecting acceptable but cheapoh quality. Erreur! It's PERFECTLY EXCELLENT! Contrary to above review, all films (including West Side Story) are in their original theatre aspect in crisp clean remasterings. That is, all are widescreen but "Marty" which was originally 4:3. The packaging is 4 slimline boxes housed in an outer sleave you can either keep or discard. I love the skinny-box format, because it saves shelf-space for the avid film collector. Take the 4 films out and file alphabetically as you normally would.

Marty

Ernest Borgnine is neighborhood butcher Marty in this 1955 film directed by Delbert Mann that won an Academy Award for Best Picture. He's single, hounded relentlessly by mom to find a nice "tomato", and at his brother's suggestion takes to frequenting the enigmatically named Starlight Ballroom where Joseph LaSchelle's camera (The Apartment, How The West Was Won) is perfectly poised to capture the lonelieness of the dating scene, transforming the ballroom into the real meat market of the film as unattached men come off less as aspiring lovers than loansharks on the prowl. Navigating the twin shoals of pain and rejection Marty shores up his humanity and is rewarded when he finds he has a new girlfriend Clara, played by Betsy Blair, who in real life, was married to Gene Kelly when this picture was made. In fact, Kelly intervened to have her keep the role when film executives wanted her out due to her political views. Left to their own devices, Blair and Borgnine are perfect together, neither endowed with world class good looks, and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky pits the new couple against the world as Marty tells Clara: "dogs like us have to stick together." He discovers it's one thing to find love, another to keep it as different interests compete to derail their new companionship and he has to make up his mind who's advice to heed, who's to reject. As if to champion the ordinary over the glamorous in a year the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the World Series, Ernest Borgnine won an Academy Award for Best Actor, Delbert Mann for Best Director and Paddy Chayefsky for Best Screenplay.

The Apartment

It's Joseph LaSchelle at the camera lens again with another classic film in black and white directed and produced by Billy Wilder; leave it to the director of Sunset Boulevard to probe big business with the same acerbic tone. It isn't known whether Wilder read the Richard Yates novel Revolutionary Road, but there are distinct parallels. Corporate dalliance is the theme, 1950's office conformity yielding to alcohol fueled licentiousness after hours as nondescript numbers man C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) has something his managers want desperately - a mid-town east side apartment in Manhattan - the perfectly situated nightcap for their extra marital trysts. Elevator operator Fran Kubelik (Shirley McLaine) can't spell well enough to compete for a job at Baxter's firm but she can read the writing on the wall when big boss Sheldrake (Fred McMurray) says he loves her - no way he's leaving his wife, kids, big house in the burbs, for her. Misgivings, doubts and depression overcome her defenses and next door neighbor Dr. Dreyfuss (Jack Kruschen) steps up and provides major humanitarian support, receiving a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his effort. McLaine's character has been through a lot by the time things get sorted out, we can't blame her a bit for ending the movie at the card game the way she does. Baxter:" Did you hear what I said, Miss Kubelik, I absolutely adore you." Kubelik: "Shut up and deal."

Winner of five Oscars, the film also spawned a major hit, The Good Life, for singer Tony Bennett. Unfortunately, we don't get to hear it on this release.


West Side Story

Many things keep this picture fresh and bright, including an outstanding opening aerial sequence over Manhattan as Daniel L. Fapp's Panavision camera zooms in on the Bronx neighborhood central to the action. Natalie Wood donned a passable Hispanic accent to star as Maria. Rita Moreno dances brilliantly before a convincing transition to a dramatic supporting role. The dialog is as sassy as any film noir one liner, and Maestro Leonard Bernstein's music combined with Stephen Sondheim's lyrics form the basis of an offbeat urban American poetry. Jerome Robbins did most of the choreography, director Robert Wise gave him a directing co-credit and they shared the 1961 Academy Award for Best Director.

In the intervening years, the film has lost none of its ability to amaze and inspire. Even the closing credits, mixed as they are with street graffiti, enhance the creativity of the production.

Tom Jones

Albert Finney is Tom Jones in this 1963 adaptation of the novel by Henry Fielding. Tom is the classic picaro, moving through the English countryside from adventure to adventure after being tossed out of the mansion by Squire Allworthy (George Devine). British film companies are famous for their ability to do authentic period pieces, consistently producing Oscar winning efforts in consumes - Mary Queen Of Scots comes to mind - and this film is no exception, the gowns of women are stunning. In a foxhunt, the camera travels at eye level with the hunting dogs and it is great cinematography by Walter Lassally. There are many night and dusk scenes however, where the film stock hasn't aged well and the action of the movie doesn't translate to the screen. Additionally, certain slapstick and delayed action scenes, as well as all of the scenes done in double time come across as gimmicky and dated. Even many of Tom's pranks are done as slapstick comedy routines and those too lack real interest. Finally, we know Tom will be rescued and when he is, the scene isn't done convincingly. All and all, there wasn't too much to believe in.