Windust, Bretaigne

Leave It to Beaver - The Complete First Season

All 39 digitally remasterd unforgettable episodes from the first season of leave it to beaver! Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 11/22/2005 Starring: Jerry Mathers Hugh Beaumont Rating: Nr

Leave It to Beaver - The Complete Second Season

Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 05/02/2006

The second season of Leave It to Beaver finds the Cleaver family happy and wholesome as ever, with most episodes involving the Beaver getting into a scrape, or hearing the from-the-mountaintop advice from Mom or Dad afterwards. Despite the formula, the episodes hold up well, because of the earnestness of the actors and the delivery of their lines, which is, well, swell. Mom June (Barbara Billingsley) is the matriarch who makes it all look easy in her well-pressed frocks and pearls (pay close attention to those necklaces--there are actually several; some plain strands and some with pendants), and Dad Ward (Hugh Beaumont) is thoughtful and a little monolithic. But it's the adventures of boys, older brother Wally (Tony Dow) and the Beav (Jerry Mathers), that make the show so fun. One episode involves Beav and pal Larry (Rusty Stevens) playing hooky (they're late to school anyway, and they figure they may as well get "killed" later as opposed to today), and then winding up on live TV, on a show which June just happens to be watching. Moral? Golly gee, there's more than one, and they're delivered by both parents and Beav's teacher--and echoed earnestly by Beaver himself. The chuckles come in a ready stream, even if sometimes inadvertently. Sample exchange: Wally: "Mom, can I get tattooed?" June: "Tattooed!? Absolutely not!" Wally: "Oh, OK. Bye." No wonder people are so nostalgic for the '50s--teenagers never gave anyone any lip. This season, 1957-58, contains 39 remastered episodes on three double-sided discs, and is a treasure box of nostalgia, in the absolute best sense. --A.T. Hurley

The Enforcer

Humphrey Bogart stars as a crusading district attorney working against the clock to prosecute a mob boss in this suspenseful picture that should appeal to crime completists and fans of the iconic actor. Based on actual court cases, the plot unfolds largely in flashback as Bogart reviews his case against vicious racketeer Everett Sloane, who has killed off anyone that has threatened to testify against him. Capably directed by Bretaigne Windust (with uncredited help from Raoul Walsh, who shot most of the film's most suspenseful moments, including the nail-biting conclusion), The Enforcer's standard law vs. the mob plotline benefits greatly from its unusual structure, as well as Bogart's solid presence and a terrific supporting cast, which includes an early turn by Zero Mostel. The opening narration is provided by Estes Kefauver, who was chairing a Senate investigation into organized crime at the time of the picture's release. --Paul Gaita

Wagon Train

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete First Season Limited Edition Gift Set

Finally, one of the most beloved series from television's Golden Age comes to DVD for the first time ever! Join the Cleavers, America's quintessential family, in all 39 digitally remastered, unforgettable episodes from the complete first season of Leave it to Beaver! Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver (Jerry Mathers) can't seem to avoid trouble, and his older brother Wally (Tony Dow), and mischievous pal Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond), aren't any help. But with some wise advice from his father Ward (Hugh Beaumont) and mom's (Barbara Billingsley) home-cooked meals, Beaver learns that all's well that ends well. Complete with the original pilot, brought out of the studio archives, this must-have DVD collection will have you declaring, "Gee, that Beaver sure is a swell guy!"