Clavell, James

The Last Valley

From acclaimed writer James Clavell (Shogun) comes this stirring war epic starring Oscar® winner* Michael Caine as a soldier who knows nothing but battle until he rediscovers the possibility of love. Co-starring Omar Sharif this powerful film is both a magnificent spectacle and an intensely personal story of love friendship and loss.The Thirty Years War rages through 17th-century Germany and a fierce captain (Caine) lays waste to any village his army encounters. But when he arrives in an undisturbed valley where he meets a beautiful peasant girl long-dead memories of peace and happiness are reawakened. Inevitably though the war is closing in. Will he heed its call or fight for the new life he has found?System Requirements: Running Time 126 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: WESTERN/MISC. Rating: PG UPC: 027616905826 Manufacturer No: 1006382

James Clavell's heartfelt film of paradise found and lost in the midst of the bloody Thirty Years War, a senseless religious conflict long since degenerated into a rabble of looters preying on peasants, is a triumph of passion over style. Michael Caine stars as the Captain, a happily tolerant leader whose army of mercenaries, a mix of Protestants and Catholics, murders, pillages, and rapes side by side for whatever faction is paying more this month. Omar Sharif is Vogel, a lone refugee whose flight from the marauding band leads them all to a beautiful village in the mountains. The Captain and Vogel make an unlikely pair, the shrewd mercenary with the dream of peace, and the philosopher peasant hanging on to his own life in the face of certain death, and their alliance to preserve this Eden and her people stands in contrast to the soldiers who soon become splintered by greed, lust, and religious zealotry. Clavell isn't exactly subtle, but his sense of irony is biting: one Christian soldier is ready to lead an mob in righteous battle after a perceived blasphemer, and in the next scene attacks and rapes an innocent Christian maiden he's sworn to protect. The film falters in clumsy battle scenes and awkward dramatic staging, but Caine's complex characterization of the guarded Captain and Sharif's haunted performance keep the story alive, and the beautiful photography sets the film like a jewel into its setting. --Sean Axmaker

To Sir, With Love

Novelist James Clavell wrote, produced, and directed this 1967 British film (based on a novel by E.R. Braithwaite) about a rookie teacher who throws out stock lesson plans and really takes command of his unruly, adolescent students in a London school. Poitier is very good as a man struggling with the extent of his commitment to the job, and even more as a teacher whose commitment is to proffering life lessons instead of academics. The spirit of this movie can be found in such recent films as Dangerous Minds and Mr. Holland's Opus, but none is as moving as this one. Besides, the others don't have a title song performed by pop star Lulu. --Tom Keogh

The Rifleman

The Rifleman (Vol. 1)

A widower rancher and single father ain't your typical TV Western hero. But put a Winchester in his hands and he becomes the Rifleman. Chuck Connors may have struck out as a major-league baseball player, but he was a hit as Lucas McCain in this classic 1958-1963 series that was reportedly Leonid Brezhnev's favorite American TV show. When the former Russian leader visited the U.S. in the early 1970s, he requested to meet Connors. This DVD contains the series' first four episodes, in which McCain and his idolizing son Mark make a fresh start in the "new and mighty fine country" of North Folk, New Mexico. The Wild Bunch director Sam Peckinpah wrote the first two episodes. In "Sharpshooter," McCain takes on the corrupt businessman who has rigged a turkey shoot (that's Dennis Hopper as McCain's competition). In "Home Ranch," henchmen of cattleman Oat Jackford drag McCain from a horse and burn his ranch to run him off his property. Peckinpah is at the reins of the episode "The Marshall," which introduced series regular Paul Fixx as redeemed sheriff Micah Torrance. The Peckinpah touch: one character is blown away with wind-tunnel force, and McCain himself is gunned down. "End of a Young Gun" guest-stars a pre-Bonanza Michael Landon as a bank robber who re-evaluates his life while recuperating from an injury at McCain's ranch. A bonus episode features veteran character actor Jack Elam as a local bully who is taught a lesson by a visiting Italian count. These episodes are surprisingly gritty and brutal. When McCain gets fired up, he goes ballistic. "I'll kill your stock and burn your barns," he threatens Jackford in "Home Ranch." But when things really get tough, he still takes time to teach Mark the story of Job. --Donald Liebenson

Grab your boots and saddle and get ready to ride. Lucas McCain (Chuck Conner) is a widower who guides his son Mark (Johnny Crawford) through the hardships of maintaining a ranch in New Mexico in the late 1880's. Courage, justice, fairness and a modified rifle are McCain's weapons. The Rifleman ranked as the #1 half hour program during its time slot on ABC for the duration of its run form 1958 - 1963.

Volume 1:
Sharpshooter - Starring Dennis Hopper, Leif Erickson and Sidney Blackmer
Home Ranch - Starring Harold J. Stone and Lee Farr
End of a Young Gun - Starring Michael Landon
The Marshall - Starring Paul Fix, Warren Oates and Robert Wilke Bonus Episode: Duel of Honor - Starring Cesare Danova and Jack Elam

Rifleman

The Rifleman: Boxed Set Collection 6

Widower Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) guides his son Mark (Johnny Crawford) through the often-difficult trials and tribulations of maintaining a small ranch in New Mexico during the late 1880s. This tremendously popular 1958-1963 TV series teaches the values of courage and justice, tempered with tolerance and understanding. The Vision Woman from Hog Ridge Sins of the Father The Illustrator Baranca The Actress A Time for Singing Seven The Long Trek Flowers by the Door Face of Yesterday Miss Millie The Pitchman The Promoter Silent Knife Six Years and a Day Strange Town The Second Witness And Devil Makes Five Anvil Chorus

The Rifleman Box Set Collection 5

Widower Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) guides his son Mark (Johnny Crawford) through the often-difficult trials and tribulations of maintaining a small ranch in New Mexico during the late 1880s. This tremendously popular 1958-1963 TV series teaches the values of courage and justice, tempered with tolerance and understanding.

To Sir, with Love [Region 2]

Novelist James Clavell wrote, produced, and directed this 1967 British film (based on a novel by E.R. Braithwaite) about a rookie teacher who throws out stock lesson plans and really takes command of his unruly, adolescent students in a London school. Poitier is very good as a man struggling with the extent of his commitment to the job, and even more as a teacher whose commitment is to proffering life lessons instead of academics. The spirit of this movie can be found in such recent films as Dangerous Minds and Mr. Holland's Opus, but none is as moving as this one. Besides, the others don't have a title song performed by pop star Lulu. --Tom Keogh

The Rifleman (Vol. 2)

What happens when "a poor, raggedy-old private from the Confederates" and "a big important general from the North" spend the night at McCain's ranch, stop being polite, and start to get real? You get "The Sheridan Story," one of five vintage, black and white 1958-'59 episodes from this classic Western series' first and second seasons. Chuck Connors stars in his signature role as Lucas McCain, who settles down on a North Fork, New Mexico, ranch with his son Mark (Johnny Crawford). In these episodes, outlaws and hired guns keep McCain and his trusty Winchester busy, while Mark learns about manhood ("It's staying alive and in your right senses," McCain explains). A highlight of this collection is Vic Morrow doing his Brando bit as Johnny Cotton, who buys himself a lot of trouble when he robs McCain and steals his rifle in "The Angry Gun." Sam Peckinpah directed "The Money Gun," in which ornery cuss and McCain nemesis Oat Jackford stands up to a gunman hired to kill him. "The Mind Reader" boasts appearances by John Carradine, as a traveling showman, and Michael Landon, as a young man falsely accused of murder. But the best is saved for last. "Bloodlines," directed by Arthur Hiller, stars Buddy Hackett--yes, Buddy Hackett-- in a guest appearance as the brutal patriarch who comes gunning for McCain when one of his three psychopathic sons is killed in a bar shootout. For Rifleman fans, these episodes are of the highest caliber. --Donald Liebenson

Grab your boots and saddle and get ready to ride. Lucas McCain (Chuck Conner) is a widower who guides his son Mark (Johnny Crawford) through the hardships of maintaining a ranch in New Mexico in the late 1880's. Courage, justice, fairness and a modified rifle are McCain's weapons. The Rifleman ranked as the #1 half hour program during its time slot on ABC for the duration of its run form 1958 - 1963.

Volume 2:
The Angry Gun - Starring Vic Morrow and Leo Gordon
The Sheridan Story - Starring Lawrence Dobkin and Royal Dano
The Money Gun - Starring John Dehner and Bert Freed
The Mind Reader - Starring John Carradine and Michael Landon
Bonus Episode: Bloodlines - Starring Buddy Hackett, Rhys Williams, Warren Oates and Denver Pyle

The Rifleman, Vol. 8