Guardino, Harry

Houseboat

Cary Grant and Sophia Loren look just swell together in Houseboat, and why shouldn't they? Grant was still at his best, Loren was bewitching Hollywood as an exotic new ingénue, and offscreen they had had a torrid affair a couple of years earlier, during the shooting of The Pride and the Passion. The two tanned stars are the main attraction in this romantic comedy, which installs single dad Cary and his three children on a dilapidated houseboat on the Potomac River. Sophia is the maid, except she's not really a maid but the cultured daughter of a famous musician. Yes, this is one of those situation comedies in which every problem could be cleared up if only one character told the truth about the situation. If that sort of thing drives you crazy, best skip this one. It's no classic, but those two icons are awfully appealing. --Robert Horton

The Five Pennies

Musical biography of jazz musician and band leader, Red Nichols.
Genre: Musicals
Rating: NR
Release Date: 10-APR-2007
Media Type: DVD

Danny Kaye shows off his keen musical sense in the lead role of The Five Pennies, the life story of cornet master Red Nichols--or at least the Hollywood version of Nichols'd life. The movie gets off to a kicky start as Nichols joins a big-city band, meets his future wife (Barbara Bel Geddes), and sits in on a speakeasy session with Louis Armstrong. Armstrong's in the movie a lot, and there are smaller roles for other musical names such as Bob Crosby and Ray Anthony. The tunes include a batch of standards but also new songs written by Sylvia Fine, Danny Kaye's wife and the creator of his signature wordplay routines. The film's main dramatic device--that Nichols eventually sacrifices his career to care for a sick daughter--must be slogged through while the decent jazz sequences come and go. Whether you're a Danny Kaye fan or not, this film emphasizes his very real musical "touch" (in his manner, not his cornet playing; Red Nichols dubbed the horn himself). It also proved Kaye could handle melodrama at least as easily as frantic comedy, and yet this 1959 film was near the end of his run as a movie actor. Director Melville Shavelson, most associated with comedy, does an atmospheric job of staging the jazz numbers, especially in the colorful clubs. This is well-served by a snazzy transfer to DVD--even the opening credits are a treat, a cool example of late-1950s graphic design. --Robert Horton

Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Season Three

Dirty Harry (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Set in San Francisco in 1971 Dirty Harry is the gritty and suspenseful film that follows the story of Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) who earns the moniker ?Dirty Harry? for his reputation of handling the dirtiest homicidal cases. The City by the Bay faces the terror of a serial killer known as Scorpio (Andrew Robinson) who viciously snipes at innocent victims and demands ransom through notes left at the scene of the crime. Callahan is assigned to the case along with his newest partner Inspector Chico Gonzalez (Reni Santoni) to track down Scorpio and stop him. Using humiliation along with cat and mouse type games against Callahan Scorpio is put to the test by the cop with the very dirty attitude. Special Features ? New Commentary by Richard Schickel -- Filmmaker and Eastwood biographer Schickel examines the landmark film that revolutionized cinematic crime drama for all time. ? New Featurette The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry -- An examination of the influence and legacy of Dirty Harry. ? Featurette Dirty Harry: The Original -- Clint Eastwood and the film?s creators look back at the birth of the modern action hero: Dirty Harry. ? Featurette Dirty Harry?s Way -- A promotional short on the movie Dirty Harry focusing on the toughness of the movies? main characters. ? Interview Gallery -- Includes interviews with Patricia Clarkson Joel Cox Clint Eastwood Hal Holbrook Evan Kim John Milius Ted Post Andy Robinson Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robert Urich. ? 1993 TV Special Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso -- A look at the life and career of actor/director Clint Eastwood including scenes from his past film and television work and interviews with friends fellow actors and crew members who have worked with him over the years. ? Trailer GalleryRunning Time: 102 min.System Requirements:Running Time: 102 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/CRIME Rating: R UPC: 085391148272 Manufacturer No: 114827

Whether or not you can sympathize with its fascistic/vigilante approach to law enforcement, Dirty Harry (directed by star Clint Eastwood's longtime friend and directorial mentor, Don Siegel) is one hell of a cop thriller. The movie makes evocative use of its San Francisco locations as cop Harry Callahan (Eastwood) tracks the elusive "Scorpio killer" who has been terrorizing the city by the Bay. As the psychopath's trail grows hotter, Harry becomes increasingly impatient and intolerant of the frustrating obstacles (departmental red tape, individuals' civil rights) that he feels are keeping him from doing his job. A characteristically taut and tense piece of filmmaking from Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Shootist, Escape from Alcatraz), it also remains a fascinating slice of American pop culture. It was a big hit (followed by four sequels) that obviously reflected--or exploited--the almost obsessive or paranoid fears and frustrations many Americans felt about crime in the streets. At a time when "law and order" was a familiar slogan for political candidates, Harry Callahan may have represented neither, but from his point of view his job was simple: stop criminals. To him that end justified any means he deemed necessary. --Jim Emerson

Hell Is For Heroes

Don Siegel brings his tough worldview and crisp, no-nonsense direction to this quintessential World War II drama of an undermanned American platoon in France holding off a German advance through sheer bluff and bravery. Steve McQueen is curt and surly as the insubordinate loner whose tactical skills and soldiering savvy make him indispensable to his new unit. His reputation precedes him, but commander Fess Parker is in no position to be choosy when he learns that his tired platoon will not be shipping home as rumored, but tossed into a ragged new offensive. Harry Guardino costars as the soulful Sarge; James Coburn is the slow-talking, forever-tinkering mechanic; Bobby Darin is the scavenger with a small fortune in trinkets; and Nick Adams is the Polish orphan and unit mascot. Bob Newhart makes his feature debut as a hopelessly lost typing clerk drafted into the undermanned unit and re-creates his nightclub shtick making phony phone calls near a Nazi listening post in the pillbox. Like Pork Chop Hill, this film is less a patriotic flag waver than a "war is hell" drama that frames the battle not in its tactical importance (which is negligible) but in its cost in human life. McQueen's taciturn performance as a ruthlessly effective soldier and Siegel's tough, lean direction make it a modest classic of the genre. --Sean Axmaker

King of Kings

This 1961 version of Jesus' story gives historical context to the best-known Biblical tale and features many memorable moments, such as a moving Sermon on the Mount and a vixenish Salome dancing for her stepfather in a performance that rivals today's MTV video offerings. Orson Welles keeps the 168-minute film moving along with informative narration helpful to those who haven't read the New Testament in a while. Made with backgrounds that resemble Southern California more than Palestine and a European and American cast--including a blonde, blue-eyed Jesus and an Irish-accented Mary--this movie has the definite stamp of Hollywood. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Epic dramatization of the life of Christ, from Bethlehem to the crucifixion and resurrection.
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: HUNTER/RYAN/TORN
Title: KING OF KINGS
Street Release Date: 09/20/2005
Domestic
Genre: DRAMA

Any Which Way You Can

Sequel to "Every Which Way but Loose" in which Eastwood is back as bare-knuckle brawler Philo Beddoe. With his 165-pound orangutan pal Clyde Philo is lured out of retirement by a new contender and mobsters kidnap his girl to ensure he'll turn up for the showdown.Running Time: 116 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 085391858621 Manufacturer No: 18586

Philo Beddoe (Clint Eastwood) is back in this sequel to Every Which Way but Loose, once again brawling to make ends meet and just trying to manage his life with a crazy mother (Ruth Gordon), a dimwitted best friend (Geoffrey Lewis) and, of course, Clyde the Orangutan. He's had enough of this life, but when a mobster (Harry Guardino) comes along to make him an offer he can't refuse, Philo must use his wits as well as his fists to get himself out of yet another jam. The humor is thin and sporadic (though Gordon is in fine form), and Eastwood has since gone on to better things; but a film that features a brawl with a monkey and a motorcycle gang can't be all bad. --Robert Lane

Pork Chop Hill

Lt. Joe Clemons has been given the order: take Pork Chop Hill. If It"s taken by the Chinese U.S. negotiators at the Panmunjom peace conference would lose face with their Communist adversaries - and unthinkable outcome. And so Clemons leads his troops into combat to fight for an object that they know to be strategically pointless. But they also know that an order and they must take Pork Chop Hill - or die trying - so that millions can live in freedom tomorrow for what Clemons and his men will sacrifice today.System Requirements:ACTORS James Edwards Harry Guardino Gregory Peck George Peppard George Shibata Bob Steele Woody Strode Rip Torn Running Time: 1 hrs. 38 mins Classic Action / Adventure Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating:  UPC: 027616766922

This gritty, grim Korean war drama presents the grueling ordeal of a platoon charged with taking a hill of no military value during the final days of the war. While diplomats and generals argue over peace negotiations (in an appropriately wordless montage under the opening credits), tough but compassionate Lt. Joe Clemons (Gregory Peck) leads a unit of 135 men up a well-guarded hill while miscommunication--and at times no communication--cuts them off from reinforcements and regimental command. Shot against a bleak, battle-scarred mountain of white dust honeycombed with black trenches, director Lewis Milestone presents the devastating battle as a meaningless sacrifice of hundreds of lives spent in a political game of chicken. Peck leads a terrific cast of young talents and character actors, many of them just starting their respective careers: Rip Torn, Harry Guardino, Martin Landau, Norman Fell, George Peppard, Gavin MacLeod, Bert Remsen, Harry Dean Stanton, plus veteran stalwarts Woody Strode, James Edwards, Robert Blake, and Bob Steele. Milestone had previously directed the pacifist WWI classic All Quiet on the Western Front and the compassionate WWII platoon drama A Walk in the Sun. Pork Chop Hill adds one more antiwar classic to his résumé, the angry power of his drama overcoming the hollow patriotic voice-over (reportedly added by Peck) that concludes the drama. --Sean Axmaker

The Enforcer (Deluxe Edition)

Released in 1976 The Enforcer marks the third installment in the Dirty Harry franchise. The film?s plot has Inspector Callahan (Eastwood) paired with a new partner policewoman Inspector Kate Moore (Tyne Daly) as they hunt for a group of terrorists that are blackmailing the city of San Francisco for two million dollars. Callahan none-too- pleased by being teamed up with a woman must put his job first and the two attempt to shut down the terrorists. Moore however proves herself after she and Callahan pursue the terrorists to their hideout in the prison of Alcatraz. Special Features ? New Commentary by director James Fargo Director Fargo takes an entertaining look at the film that launched his career as a director including the day Clint Eastwood nonchalantly let him know he had the job. ? New Featurette The Business End: Violence in Cinema An unflinching look at the ongoing debate on violence in cinema. ? Featurette Harry Callahan/Clint Eastwood: Something Special in Films ? Trailer GalleryRunning Time: 96 min.System Requirements:Running Time: 96 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/CRIME Rating: R UPC: 012569818385 Manufacturer No: 81838

Trapped by his image in 1976, Clint Eastwood resurrected his Dirty Harry character for a third go-round (out of a total of five) in this potboiler story in which the San Francisco detective takes on a group of revolutionary kids. Tyne Daly costars as a female cop who partners with the reluctant Harry Callahan, and she does very well by a role created merely to underscore and articulate the hero's various virtues. It's a dull package all around, but inside the wrapping are good performances by the two leads. --Tom Keogh

Lovers and Other Strangers

First comes love then comes marriage then come loads of laughs in this highly amusing (Time) comedy about a romantic coming-together that s about to fall apart! With a delightful cast (Los Angeles Times) including Diane Keaton in her film debut Lovers and Other Strangers is hilarious [with] funny sad touching and moving moments (The Hollywood Reporter)!As Mike and Susan prepare to walk down the aisle the groom gets a case of cold feet. But turning to friends and family for support could send the couple running for matrimonial cover! Susan s father is fooling around with her mother s best friend; Mike s brother is divorcing his high-school sweetheart and his parents are living a loveless lie. The rocky road to happily-ever-after has never been so uproarious as in this vividly real genuinely funny movie (Leonard Maltin).System Requirements: Running Time 104 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: R UPC: 027616908292 Manufacturer No: 1006668