Product Details

• Actors: Jean Simmons, Paul Newman, Joan Fontaine, Piper Laurie, Charles Drake
• Directors: Robert Wise
• Writers: James Michener, Robert Anderson
• Producers: Charles Schnee, James E. Newcom
• Format: Black & White, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302605067
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #151,556 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Loneliness and Hunger", November 14, 2005

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Until They Sail [VHS] (VHS Tape)

With a superb cast and sensitive direction by Robert Wise, "Until They Sail" follows the lives of 4 sisters, who deal with the tragedy and loneliness of war from different perspectives, and in different ways. Joan Fontaine is Anne, who is rigid and virtuous, and Jean Simmons is Barbara, who has only been a bride for a month when her husband leaves for the war. Piper Laurie is Delia, who in desperation marries an obnoxious cad, because he's the only man in town, and Sandra Dee is Evelyn, whose enthusiasm for life cannot be dampened, even by the uncertainty and sadness of the time. Dee was only 13 when this film was made, and it was her delightful screen debut.

Woven into the women's lives are the Americans, who are stationed in New Zealand, among them Jack (Paul Newman), whose principal job in the military is to investigate the potential brides of the enlisted men. After a bad marriage, Jack relies on the comfort of whiskey to get him through the night, until he meets Barbara. Based on a James Michener story, "Until They Sail" is a marvelous wartime melodrama, and though it is essentially a "woman's film," can be appreciated by anyone who likes fine acting and filmmaking. The b&w cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg is lovely, and when the camera focuses on Jean Simmons's luminous eyes, one realizes what a great actress she was, and how she was able to convey depth and passion with just a look. "Until They Sail" is an underrated classic that depicts the emotional toll on the women left behind in a way that is unique, insightful, and memorable. Total running time is 94 minutes.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best classics I've ever seen, August 19, 2000

By 

Patricia Anderson (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Until They Sail [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The movie is a tale of American marines during WW2 going to train in New Zealand and falling in love with the local girls.

The performance by Paul Newman, as the military lawyer, was aoutstanding. That coupled with Jean Simmons, as the widowed sister lent credence and worth to the movie.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent film with "grown up" characters (now on dvd-r), April 5, 2007

By 

Film Buff Chris (Doylestown, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Until They Sail [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I am happy this film is now available on dvd. This is what I wrote before:

I too think this is an excellent film, I recently rewatched it on TCM. I wish some company would put out a dvd of it. Meeting in Australia during World War II, the gorgeous Jean Simmons and charismatic Paul Newman have a very grown up, slow starting romance, full of wary sadness. Joan Fontaine is effective as the judgmental sister who eventually melts. Sandra Dee is indeed charming in an early role. And Piper Laurie is excellent and a little scary as the "promiscuous," troubled sister. One reason it's so first-rate is the screenplay is by Robert Anderson, the talented writer of the play "Tea and Sympathy," and the screenwriter of the film "The Nun's Story." Among other things, he had a real affinity for writing sensitive, nuanced women. And the director is Robert Wise, an eclectic director who has made many great movies. Put out a dvd of this, someone.

Note: this film has been put on DVD-R where Amazon copies on demand the film in question onto a DVD. The quality is usually good. It does mean there are no extras, including no "scene selection" and no closed captions. You can skip ahead in the film, chunk by chunk; but you can't just go to "scene 22" (as a made up example) if it's your favorite scene, you have to go from scene 1 to scene 2 to scene 3, etc.

However, it's a very engrossing, adult film. And I bought a DVD-R from one of the sellers (-importcds), it was thus a bit less expensive, it came on time, and the black and white film looks very handsome.