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Gary Cooper fans, romantics and classic cinema lovers, here is a collection of five fabulous, lovingly restored films of one of the greatest actors of all time. The print quality ranges from very good to excellent and the moves are presented in their original aspect ratio.
"DESIGN FOR LIVING" (1933) is a comedy, adapted from a play by Noel Coward, which premiered with roaring success in 1932. The plot concerns trio of intensely artistic characters: George Curtis (Gary Cooper), Tom Chambers (Frederic March) and Gilda Farrell (Miriam Hopkins). The two men fall in love with Gilda. She can't make her mind about who she loves, so they decide to move in together on a friendship basis. The arrangement works at first, then complications arise and Gilda marries her employer to solve the dilemma. Her marriage is unhappy, and both George and Tom realize they can't live without her. So, Gilda divorces her husband and the trio goes back to their original Gentleman's Agreement to live together without having sex. The film is darkly humorous and explores deeper themes that can seem controversial even today. Moral justification for infidelity and analysis of the pressures of fame are some of the topics. Directed by Henry Hathaway.
"THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER" (1935) is loosely adapted from a memoir by Francis Yeats-Brown. The plot concerns the lives of British soldiers, defending India's borders from nomadic raiders. The movie beautifully depicts the love true friends have for one another. Contrary to the popular modern belief that we ought to look after ourselves first and be rather selfish, "The Lives Of A Bengal Lancer" extols selflessness and self-sacrifice for the loved ones as highest virtue.
Directed by Henry Hathaway and with a stellar cast of Gary Cooper and Franchot Tone, the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.
"PETER IBBETSON" (1935) is very special movie. Based on the on the George du Maurier's 1891 novel and directed by Henry Hathaway is all about Love. The deep, eternal, spiritual love that so many dream of and only a few ever find. The kind of love poetically depicted by Victor Hugo: "True love is to be two and yet one. A man and a woman blended as angels, heaven itself."
Peter meets his childhood sweetheart Mary while he lives with his mum in France. The children are separated when his mother dies and his uncle takes him to live in London. Years later the Providence re-unites them. They still love each other and discover that they even share the same dreams, but it is too late. Mary is married.
Jealous husband, tragic incident and the husband dies. Peter is accused of his murder and jailed for life. The treatment he gets in jail is difficult to watch, but the beautiful life he and Mary have in their shared dreams rewards for it. The movie's transitions between reality and fantasy are wonderfully captured by the cinematography of Charles Lang. Gary Cooper's portrayal of Peter Ibbetson is moving and memorable and so is Ann Harding's performance as Mary. Coop's monologue, when he receives the ring she promised to send him while they were dreaming together is particularly heartbreaking.
This film carries very important messages: a blind man "sees" things and refuses to be unhappy and miserable. Peter & Mary, physically apart, find a way to be together. Their souls unite "every possible moment". Some might say, that's strange, even impossible, but "the strangest things are true and the truest things are strange".
In jail, Peter is restraint in chains and these chains represent the fears that destroy our souls and prevent our imagination flourish.
"THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN" (1936) is intensely poetic and suspenseful film about love, courage, devotion and self-sacrifice for the one you love or for a good cause. Coop is O'Hara, a mercenary who fights for Democracy in China. He falls in love with beautiful Judy Perry. She betrays him, in order to help her dying father. Later, she willingly pays the price and wins back O'Hara's love. Coop is in his element here and so is Akim Tamiroff (Pablo, "For Whom the Bell Tolls") as General Young. The movie was deservedly nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a supporting role (Tamiroff), Best Cinematography and Best Music Score. There are several scenes that show startling originality and are avant-garde. At one point, a door knob segues to a billiard ball to connect disparate scenes; in another, two characters ask questions and the answers appear in screen segments, marking an unusual use of split screen to join narrative. I love it!
"BEAU GESTE" (1939) touches profoundly and is full of mystery, surprise, action and suspense. The story begins in a desert fort, where there's not a soul alive and yet, bodies disappear and the fort catches fire. The movie then takes us back in time. We are introduced to the family of Brandon Abbas Estate in England, Lady Patricia Brandon and the children in her care: adopted sons Beau, John and Digby Geste, and wards Isobel and Ghastly. There is also Sir Hector, the master of the estate. We don't get to meet him because he is always absent. He is addicted gambler and in love with a very rare and expensive sapphire, named "Blue Water". Fifteen years later, when the children are adults, the darn thing disappears and with it, the Geste brothers. One of them is the jewel thief. Now, if somebody wants to disappear completely and still have some excitement where would they go? The French Legion of course.
"Beau Geste" is a movie about devotion, patriotism, bravery, honor, romance and the undying love of a brother for brother. I know, I don't make sense- high class jewel thieves, French Legion and values, but when you see the film, you'll understand what I mean. The story is so cleverly written, you'll never guess the outcome until the last credit rolls. The acting is exquisite, the soundtrack and cinematography superb and Coop brings so much beauty, sweetness and enigma to the entire production. The transfer is excellent, the picture looks as if it was shot last year. Truly great film!
We live in a challenging time. Traditional moral standards are changing, leaving us somewhat confused. For instance: marriage is no longer important; we don’t have to be in love to make “love”; we often call the one we share our live with simply a “partner”. This is why these films are so significant- they deliver in timely manner, timeless messages of diminishing values.
Everyone has favorite actors and actresses, I suppose. To me, Coop is one of the best. He showed me a wonderful world of emotional depth. A world of eternal love, friendship, gallantry, selflessness and patriotism. A world-refuge, where I'm able to loose myself for a while and then come back to reality, inspired.
I would like to thank the people who restored these magnificent films and put the DVD collection together, so we can enjoy it as much as we wish. Lastly, I thank those of you who had patience to read my long review. I sincerely hope that the magic of Gary Cooper will bring you as much joy, as it brought to me.
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The General Died At Dawn
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
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stunsail
Great selection of early Gary Cooper films. This dvd pack needs to be re-released.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 28, 2017Mr. Sunshine
Gary Cooper one of the great actors of his day
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 25, 2013Kenneth Baker
Very good, quick delivery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 22, 2015
