The week’s DVD begin with Vivien Leigh:
DVDs for Nov. 26 by Boo Allen
This week, we begin with Vivien:
The Vivien Leigh Anniversary Collection
Fire Over England, Dark Journey, Storm in a Teacup, St. Martin’s Lane.
This two disc set marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of England’s greatest, if not the greatest, actresses-movie stars. Vivien Leigh won an unprecedented two Best Actress Oscars, but she began her film career in England. These four unrated selections from 1936 and 1937 feature well known leading men, and they provide a fair representation of her earliest work. Fire Over England (92 minutes) sees the first pairing of her with future husband Laurence Olivier. She plays a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth, played by Flora Robson, who reportedly resented the media attention given to her young co-star. Leigh takes a co-starring role in Dark Journey (77 minutes), a World War I intrigue. She plays a French spy gathering secret information while masquerading as a Swiss dress shop owner in Stockholm. Her mission is compromised when she falls for her German counterpart (Conrad Veidt). Leigh co-stars with Rex Harrison in the socio-political comedy Storm in a Teacup (87 minutes). Her father (Cecil Parker ) runs for local government, but she defies him and takes the crusading side of a visiting journalist (Harrison). St. Martin’s Lane (85 minutes), also known as Sidewalks of London, features Charles Laughton as a street performer who takes Libby (Leigh) into his act when he sees her pick the pocket of a well-heeled producer (Rex Harrison), who then rescues Libby and takes
The set holds a 26 minute interview with Leigh biographer Anne Edwards and a 16 page booklet on Leigh with essay from Kendra Bean.
The Attack (***)
The wife (Reymonde Amsellem) of a respected Palestinian surgeon (Ali Suliman) dies in a Tel Aviv terrorist attack. His grief mixes with confusion when he learns she was the suicide bomber. After, authorities believe he was implicated. When his hospital shuns him, he enters Palestinian territory in an attempt to uncover the full story and maybe even track down those responsible for influencing his wife. Director Ziad Doueiri draws ample suspense and terror from Yasmina Khadra’s novel.
Rated R, 105 minutes. The DVD includes a five minute interview with the director.
Thérèse (***)
Audrey Tautou stars as the title character in this lush melodrama based on Nobel Prize laureate Francois Mauriac’s novel. Set in the picturesque area around Bordeaux, France in 1928, the film follows the independently minded Thérèse. Her family owns acres of pines and looks to increase their holdings when she marries local landowner Bernard (Gilles Lellouche). But he quickly proves too boorish for the restless Thérèse, who decides to do something about her building ennui yet only ends up alienating everyone and finding herself isolated. Thérèse is never likable, but Mauriac’s characterization of her independence partially explains her need to rebel.
Not rated, 110 minutes.
Women Without Men (***1/2), Samson and Delilah
(***1/2)
Movie distributor Indiepix returns after an absence with two unrated international selections that indicate their attention to quality yet overlooked films deserving of an audience. The 2009 Women Without Men (105 minutes) takes place in 1953 Tehran against the backdrop of the C.I.A.’s coup of democratically elected leader Muhammad Mossadegh. Simultaneously, four women come together around a woman and her new home when she leaves her husband. Director Shirin Neshat uses Shahrnush Parsipur’s novel to render a succession of visually-engaging, dream-like scenes.
Samson and Delilah (not rated, 101 minutes) sneaks up on you with its charms. Set in a remote Aborigine outpost in Australia, young Samson (Rowan McNamara) likes to do little but sniff gasoline fumes. When he befriends reluctant neighbor Delilah (Marissa Gibson), they embark on an odyssey taking them through various social layers, few of whom welcome them. The film contains little dialogue as the couple gradually turn their friendship into a protective love.
Warner Archives releases three notable, unrated titles, all from their Paramount Studios inventory and all based on works by a pair of premier American playwrights.
The Rose Tattoo (***1/2), This Property is Condemned (**1/2), The Matchmaker (***).
The Rose Tattoo (1955, 117 minutes) centers on an Italian-American widow, Serafina Rose, beginning life again after police kill her husband. Later, she gradually and grudgingly responds to the attentions of a romantic truck driver (Burt Lancaster). Williams wrote the Rose character specifically for Anna Magnani, who earned the Best Actress Oscar for her earthy portrayal. The film also won Oscars for art direction and cinematography. Williams also wrote the one act play that serves as the basis for This Property is Condemned (1966, 110 minutes), and Francis Ford Coppola co-wrote the screenplay. Natalie Wood stars as Alva, a flirtatious young woman in 1930s Mississippi who falls for a railroad agent, Owen (Robert Redford), sent to town to lay off workers. Alva’s mother (Kate Reid) objects to the building romance that upsets the entire town.
Thornton Wilder (“Our Town”) wrote the source play for The Matchmaker (1958, 100 minutes), an enjoyable romp starring Shirley Booth as matchmaker Dolly Levi. As she orchestrates a romance between a young woman, Irene (Shirley MacLaine), and a prosperous local store owner, Mr. Vandergelder (Paul Ford), she works her magic to entice the older man for herself, letting Irene slip away to the young man (Anthony Perkins) who loves her. Robert Morse (now Burt Cooper on Mad Men) co-stars. The film was re-made into the 1969 musical Hello Dolly, with Barbra Streisand playing Dolly.
A Year in Burgundy (***)
Wine lovers and connoisseurs and anyone wondering how all those bottles of French wine end up on sale in this country will enjoy this breezy documentary from writer-director David Kennard that takes the viewer through four seasons of wine-making. Kennard follows wine distributor Martine Saunier as she visits Burgundy vineyards that have been passed down through generations. We watch as they plant their vines, nurture them, harvest them and then market them. Even to the uninitiated, the film renders a clear portrait of the industry.
Not rated, 88 minutes. The DVD includes three brief, related featurettes.
Planes (***)
In this aerial animated version of Disney’s popular Cars films, a quality voice cast enlivens the story about a crop-dusting airplane, Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), who aims for bigger things. He wants to compete in an around-the-world race, and is encouraged in his pursuit by wise old Skipper (Stacey Keach). But poor Dusty is also afraid of heights. Other voices include Teri Hatcher, Brad Garrett, Julie Louis-Dreyfus, John Cleese, Sinbad, and Brent Musburger as Brent Mustangburger.
Rated PG, 91 minutes. The DVD arrives in all formats and combo packs. Supplements include deleted scenes, and the featurettes “Meet the Racers,” “Klay’s Flight Plans,” and “Top Ten Flyers.” Plus, a music video and more.
Also on DVD: Easy Money, Hannah Arendt, Paranoia, Tank Girl, The World’s End.