1776 (Restored Director's Cut)
by Peter H. Hunt
from Sony Pictures
The hit Broadway musical by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards became the basis for this 1972 film about America's first congress and the nation's declaration of independence from Britain. Most of the original cast members are aboard, including William Daniels as John Adams. The film is a little stodgy and moves stiffly from scene to scene--the adaptation to the screen is not a smooth success. But it is nonetheless captivating, considering that so few films have dealt directly with America's birth. Directed by Peter H. Hunt. --Tom Keogh
From the Terrace
by Mark Robson
from 20th Century Fox
From the Terrace is one of Paul Newman's lesser-known films, but it's a worthy showcase for the actor's developing screen persona. Like Butterfield 8, this is a slick, prestigious adaptation of a John O'Hara novel, about loose morals and forbidden love among the wealthy elite. Director Mark Robson lacks the mastery of melodrama that Douglas Sirk would've brought to this material, but he's still on target with O'Hara's tale of a prodigal son (Newman) who rejects his late father's steel mill in favor of big-business conquest, only to find his trophy wife (superbly played by Newman's off-screen wife, Joanne Woodward) straying into the arms of her former fiancé, while he falls in love with a socialite (Ina Balin) with whom he's much more compatible. A well-tuned drama of marital discord and unchecked ambition, From the Terrace was sharply adapted by Ernest Lehman between the triumphs of North by Northwest and West Side Story, and Newman's brooding performance gave him a solid boost to his iconic role in the 1961 classic The Hustler. --Jeff Shannon
Paul Newman portrays a young man whose struggle for success threatens his personal happiness, in this well-scripted screen version of John O'Hara's best-selling novel. Having never known his father's love or respect, Alfred Eaton (Newman) sets out to prove himself in the business world. Marrying the "right" woman (Joanne Woodward), he works unceasingly, but is ultimately confronted with crises and choices that force him to rethink his priorities. Co-starring Myrna Loy as Alfred's alcoholic mother, Leon Ames as his embittered father, and Ina Balin as the woman who might bring him genuine happiness, From The Terrace is an absorbing tale of ambition, power and love fueled by sharp dialogue, complex characterizations and keen insight into the human heart.
Alvarez Kelly
by Edward Dmytryk
from Sony Pictures
Alvarez Kelly (1966) isn't really a classic, but it's a pleasant enough Western, directed by Edward Dmytryk. The rather convoluted plot (adventurer plays one side off against the other on a cattle drive from Mexico during the Civil War) relies heavily on the charm of the two stars, William Holden and Richard Widmark, but the two prove as reliable as ever. There are some so-so action scenes, but it's the battle of wits between the two principals that supplies all the fireworks. By contrast Janice Rule is just adequate as the love interest. --Ed Buscombe
Pressure Point
by Hubert Cornfield
from MGM
OscarÂ(r) winner* Sidney Poitier sizzles in an electrifying role (Show Business Illustrated) as a prison psychiatrist who clashes with a racist inmate (Bobby Darin) in this explosive and provocative (Citizen News) drama that packs a powerful wallop (LA Herald Examiner)! A prison doctor is charged with treating a hate-filled young man who's been jailed for sedition. As he probes the patient's nightmares, the psychiatrist realizes his twisted visions mask a lust for violence. But the inmate has become a model prisoner, and unless the doctor can convince officials that he's dangerous, he'll soon be back on the street. *1963: Actor, Lilies of the Field; 2001: Honorary Award
Forced Vengeance
by James Fargo
from Warner Home Video
Lady Luck has fled Hong Kong's Lucky Dragon Casino. Its manager has squandered the profits. Its owner has been snuffed by the mob. And the heir to the casino is in hiding. But Lucky Dragon still holds one last ace: security expert Josh Randall. Local mobsters should cash in their chips when Chuck Norris plays Randall in Forced Vengeance an alive-and-kicking actionfest directed by James Fargo (who directed Clint Eastwood in The Enforcer and Every Which Way but Loose). Determined to find the syndicate big shot behind the proprietor's death Randall goes on the hunt. Trouble follows. And so does the lightning strike of screen excitement - the kind of martial-arts excitement that only Norris can chop punchshoot leap slam and deliver!Running Time: 91 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE UPC: 012569519022