Lloyd, Frank

Mutiny on the Bounty

The highlight of Mutiny on the Bounty is undoubtedly Charles Laughton's bracingly evil performance as Captain Bligh, a man so mean that he insists on having a dead sailor flogged. Bligh pushes his men beyond physical endurance, slashes their rations for his own profit, and drastically cuts down their frolicking time with scantily clad Tahitians. Finally, the moment everyone has been waiting for arrives: first mate Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) hits his limit and all hell breaks loose. Gable holds doggedly onto his American accent through the entire movie, but in a way it makes Christian come off as a Regular Guy in opposition to Bligh's institutionalized cruelty. Once you get past the hurdle of his diphthongs, Gable makes an excellent Fletcher Christian--strong, fair, and noble, and he effectively conveys the struggle of a man who loathes the idea of mutiny but can't stand see his men mistreated. And Charles Laughton is just superb. His Bligh is thoroughly appalling, yes, but it's far from a one-note performance--when he is cast adrift on the open sea in a lifeboat and tries to make an impossible journey to land, you can't help but root for him. Mutiny on the Bounty won the 1935 Academy Award for Best Picture and picked up a Leading Actor nomination for each of its male leads. Check it out or be tied to the mizzenmast. --Ali Davis

First officer Clark Gable and tyrannical captain Charles Laughton powerfully clash in this vigorous retelling of a true historic incident about a British ship commandeered from its brutal master. Franchot Tone also stars in 1935's Best Picture Academy Award(R) Choice.

The Howards of Virginia

With its straightforward retelling of events leading up to the American Revolution, The Howards of Virginia is a standard slice of patriotism from Hollywood's golden age. Adapted by noted screenwriter Sidney Buchman from Elizabeth Page's 1939 bestseller Tree of Liberty, this colonial melodrama is notorious for saddling Cary Grant with one of his most ill-fitting roles, and it's true that Grant's 20th-century style clashes with his portrayal of buckskinned rebel Matt Howard. Still, his performance is far from being "really bad" (as critic Pauline Kael harshly opined), and Martha Scott brings tenacious dignity to her role as Howard's pragmatic wife, who defies her aristocratic family to join her new husband in the wilderness of Ohio. The stirrings of rebellion clash with some thankfully outmoded Hollywood clichés (such as Howard's initial rejection of his mildly disabled son), but overall this remains a respectable and altogether engaging historical adventure, encompassing the early career of Thomas Jefferson and noteworthy for its meticulous attention to period detail. --Jeff Shannon

Oliver Twist (1922)

Jackie Coogan had made his name as the spunky waif in Chaplin's The Kid when he took on the role of Charles Dickens's plucky orphan hero in Oliver Twist. It's dream casting: wide-eyed Coogan is an innocent with a heart of gold dropped into a den of thieves, notably Lon Chaney's Fagin, a heartless conniver with long whiskers, a hook nose, rotten teeth and skeletal fingers. The entire production is peopled with perfect types--a rotund bulldog of a Mr. Brumble, a barrel-chested bully of a Bill Sykes, a ragged dandy of an Artful Dodger--but it rather misses the point of Dickens. "I know of two kinds of boys: good and bad," sniffs one high-society gentleman, and sure enough, director Frank Lloyd gives us heroes and villains without the energetic, colorful portrayals of the Dodger (who has little dramatic presence) and Fagin that enrich later versions of the novel. The entire novel is packed into 74 breakneck minutes, but the lavish production is richly atmospheric and beautiful to look at, and Coogan's cute, sprightly performance keeps the story bouncing along. The print is well worn and in places quite damaged, but it's presentable, nicely tinted, and accompanied by an organ score by John Muri.

This disc also includes Lon Chaney in The Light of Faith (an abridged version of Clarence Brown's The Light in the Dark). Chaney plays a thief who, inspired by the story of the Holy Grail, risks his life to rob a rich man of his ancient goblet in the hopes that it may save a sick girl. There's little room for dramatic resonance in such a digest-sized version, but Chaney shines as a reformed roughneck, and the lavish production is well preserved in this excellent restoration, which has been tinted and set to an organ score by Hank Troy. --Sean Axmaker

Lon Chaney portrays the frightful, despicable Fagin in this richly atmospheric screen adaptation of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" (74 min.). Jackie Coogan (The Kid) stars as the titular irrepressible waif in 19th-century England, whose adventures lead him from undernourished orphan to undertaker's apprentice, from novice pickpocket to pampered youth. Faithful in spirit and letter to Dickens' immortal story, "Oliver Twist" is an exquisitely designed film, recreating with painterly care the firelit chambers, sepulchral basements and sordid slums that confine its menagerie of eccentric and pathetic personages. As an added bonus, this DVD includes the Lon Chaney short film, "The Light of Faith" (30 min.). Typical of the era's moral regeneration dramas, director Clarence Brown's visually stunning "The Light of Faith" features Chaney as a thief who finds himself in possession of the Holy Grail. Chaney's genuine interest in the plight of the lawless endowed his performances in these films with remarkable conviction and vibrancy.

Blood on the Sun

Cagney is a crusading newspaper editor in 1930s Japan who's come into possession of the "Tanaka Plan" for world domination. Amidst political intrigue and crossed loyalties, Cagney must now find a way to warn the outside world. A fine, entertaining melodrama that's based in fact, with Cagney as good as ever, but this time with judo chops. If only the Japanese knew some kind of hand-to-hand combat, they might be able to stand a chance against Cagney. Dated only by its condescension toward the Japanese, Blood on the Sun never slacks its pace, providing quick-witted patter all along in the mark of the classic Hollywood style. It seems peculiarly American (in an inadvertent way, of course) that in the film's final moments the day should be saved by none other than Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont). Curiously, this is one DVD from Master Movies that does not contain optional Japanese subtitles. It does, however, have copious bios of the stars and filmmakers, and a crystal-clear picture. --Jim Gay

AMC Movies: James Cagney Classics

4 movies / 2 DVD's

1. Blood on the Sun (1945, 98 minutes) Also starring Sylvia Sidney
Nick Condon (Cagney) a newspaper reporter working in Tokyo, gets wind of Japanese plans to bomb the US. Fans will enjoy an exciting Judo sequence as Cagney avoids the clutches of interrogators who wish to dispose of him. Academy Award for Best Art Direction.

2. Time of Your Life (1948, 105 minutes) Also starring William Bendix
Cagney plays Joe 'T' in this whimsical film version of William Saroyan's Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a rundown San Francisco waterfront bar, populated by a group of lovable characters.

3. Great Guy (1936, 75 minutes) Also starring Robert Gleckler
Corruption and violence have gnawed to the core of democratic society. Cagney, as pugnacious Johnny 'Red' Cave, uses his brains, fists and attitude to battle for truth and justice against crooked city politicians.

4. Something to Sing About (1937, 93 minutes) Also starring Evelyn Daw and William Frawley
In this musical comedy, Cagney, as New York band leader Terry Rooney, journeys to Hollywood looking for a big break. He gets married, and when the happy couple returns from a honeymoon, a movie contract is offered--if he remains single! Academy Award Nomination for Best Score.

The Last Bomb B-29 Superfortresses Over Japan Deluxe Edition

The atomic bomb was the most secret and expensive research and development program of WWII. The second most expensive was the airplane that would carry it: the B-29. Nicknamed the Superfortress, the four-engine giant had formidable armnament including machineguns that could be fired by remote control. It also had the advanced range of nearly 5,000 miles while carrying 2,000 pounds of bombs.

Featured on this DVD are five rare films from 1945 showing the capabilities of this amazing aircraft. They include instructional films made for the pilots and crew chiefs, and Building the Bomb about the design and construction of this giant plane. The DVD concludes with The Last Bomb, a stunning Technicolor profile of the 20th Air Force as it pummels Tokyo in the summer of 1945. The film includes rare footage of B-29s and their P-51 Mustang escorts. You'll also see Gen. Curtis LeMay as he directs the bombing campaign, and the island airfields at Tinian and Iwo Jima.

The B-29 was the plane that ended the war. This is the most definitive document of their combat record.

Color and black and white films.

Please note: This DVD is recorded in the DVD-R format. It may not be compatible with first-generation DVD players. It will play normally on most computers and 99% of DVD player. Check your player's manual for more information.

Blood on the Sun

Cagney is a crusading newspaper editor in 1930s Japan who's come into possession of the "Tanaka Plan" for world domination. Amidst political intrigue and crossed loyalties, Cagney must now find a way to warn the outside world. A fine, entertaining melodrama that's based in fact, with Cagney as good as ever, but this time with judo chops. If only the Japanese knew some kind of hand-to-hand combat, they might be able to stand a chance against Cagney. Dated only by its condescension toward the Japanese, Blood on the Sun never slacks its pace, providing quick-witted patter all along in the mark of the classic Hollywood style. It seems peculiarly American (in an inadvertent way, of course) that in the film's final moments the day should be saved by none other than Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont). Curiously, this is one DVD from Master Movies that does not contain optional Japanese subtitles. It does, however, have copious bios of the stars and filmmakers, and a crystal-clear picture. --Jim Gay

Forever and a Day

A slow-moving but historic attempt to bolster the British War Relief effort in 1943, Forever and a Day is a drama about the inhabitants of a magnificent English home, beginning in the early 19th century. The story isn't much, but there's a charming spirituality about the house and what happens to those who nurture it and abuse it. It's a metaphor, of course, for England itself. Most of all, the celebrity lineup is a real treat: There are 80 stars, including Brian Aherne, Robert Cummings, Ida Lupino, Charles Laughton, Herbert Marshall, Ray Milland, Merle Oberon, Claude Rains, Victor McLaglen, Buster Keaton, C. Aubrey Smith, Elsa Lanchester, and Edmund Gwenn. Talent was stacked up behind the camera as well: René Clair, Edmund Goulding, and Cedric Hardwicke are among the directors. --Bill Desowitz

This rarely-seen gem from England spans the years from Napoleon to World War II by following the fortunes of those who lived in a London manor house. Assembled by seven directors (Rene Clair, Edmund Goulding, Cedric Hardwicke, Frank Lloyd, Victor Saville, Robert Stevenson, Herbert Wilcox) and starring over eighty American and British actors, "Forever and a Day" is one of the largest and most powerful ensemble films ever made. Also featuring Merle Oberon, Claude Rains, Victor McLaglen, Buster Keaton, C. Aubrey Smith, Edward Everett Horton, Elsa Lanchester, Edmund Gwenn, and many more.

Blood on the Sun

Cagney is a crusading newspaper editor in 1930s Japan who's come into possession of the "Tanaka Plan" for world domination. Amidst political intrigue and crossed loyalties, Cagney must now find a way to warn the outside world. A fine, entertaining melodrama that's based in fact, with Cagney as good as ever, but this time with judo chops. If only the Japanese knew some kind of hand-to-hand combat, they might be able to stand a chance against Cagney. Dated only by its condescension toward the Japanese, Blood on the Sun never slacks its pace, providing quick-witted patter all along in the mark of the classic Hollywood style. It seems peculiarly American (in an inadvertent way, of course) that in the film's final moments the day should be saved by none other than Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont). Curiously, this is one DVD from Master Movies that does not contain optional Japanese subtitles. It does, however, have copious bios of the stars and filmmakers, and a crystal-clear picture. --Jim Gay

Cavalcade

The winner of 1934's Best Picture Oscar proves that the Academy hasn't changed its tune much in 50-plus years. Though films of that year, such as King Kong, still remain in the public psyche, Cavalcade, which is rarely seen now, fits the Academy's bill as an "important" film, one worthy of the Best Picture title. It chronicles the life of two British families, from the eve of the 20th century to 1933. One family is upstairs, the other downstairs, but it's less a view of the class struggle than a remembrance of things past. People honeymoon on the Titanic, they fight in the War to End All Wars, and they seem to entirely avoid the 1920s. Based upon Noel Coward's play, young couples banter using frightfully high-tea terms--everyone's "dreadful," "horrid," or "pathetic." A final montage tirade about the decrepit state of the times (hey, they did it back then, too!) almost knocks the legs out from under the whole proceedings, but it holds on. Stiff upper lip and all that. --Keith Simanton