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Very Good Film Deal...

Shaun333 | 11/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very good deal, especially for fans of Bogart. You get 4 films, 2 that are average and 2 that are gems, which I'll rate individually below:

Beat The Devil is one of the gems starring Humphrey Bogart which is a satire of The Maltese Falcon, directed by the same man, John Huston. This is the absolute best DVD transfer of this movie that I have seen. It is clear, crisp, with great sound and just a great film to watch. This excellent transfer alone makes this 4 movie set.
Also, being a Bogart fan doesn't hurt matters. Watch for Peter Lorre as well.
Transfer: Excellent. Movie: Very Good

Thunder In The City is the second gem here, starring Edward G. Robinson playing a fast talking salesman. He leaves his job and heads to England to learn "dignity" in business dealings. This was a very good movie that I enjoyed a great deal. Robinson was fantastic and I would recommend this 1937 film to anyone that enjoys a good storyline and better acting. The only downside of this film was the transfer, while not bad, it wasn't great either. Somewhere in between is what I would say, but it was very watchable and not too badly washed out at all. I'm guessing that this is the best print that they had to work with, given that the other 3 movies had very good transfers. Also, I have not seen an individual DVD out of this movie, so this is the best you're going to get. All in all, the film itself makes you forget the okay transfer.
Transfer: Okay Movie: Very Good.

The third film here is Outpost In Morocco starring George Raft in a poor man's Bogart role. He plays a "playboy legionnaire" as is described on the back of the DVD, and he's ordered to escort the daughter of a Moroccan emir back to her palace. He discovers a planned attack on the French and has to make a decision between her and France. It's an interesting plotline that just doesn't come off. Raft looks bored and his acting is very wooden in this role. He hardly comes off as a ladies man, which is what he is supposed to be, and even less French. He might as well have been playing a Russian or an Australian comapared to anything French.
This wasn't a bad movie, just very mediocre. There are some nice location shots here and the transfer in fact, is very good.
Transfer: Very Good Movie:Okay.

The fourth and final movie on this set is They Made Me A Criminal starring John Garfield. It's about a not so bright boxer on the run after he is suspected of murdering a reporter in his hotel room, while in a drunken haze. He runs to Arizona and meets up with some teens and a farm owner and her daughter. The teens were a bunch of actors known as the Dead End Kids and are so irritating, I had to skip every scene they were in. Just ruined it for me, even though they were part of the story. Claude Rains is completely miscast as the detective who goes after him and one has to wonder what he even saw in this role. What makes this movie, even though it wasn't that great, are the boxing scenes. They are directed very well and Garfield certainly convinces you of his role in these scenes.
The transfer was excellent.
Transfer: Excellent. Movie: Okay.

All in all, there are two gems and two okay movies here. There are no bad movies here and I would certainly recommend this."

Great quality for a budget DVD!

Robert M. Bratcher Jr. | Houston, Texas USA | 06/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I think they used fully restored prints in this issue. No hiss in the sountrack & no dirt or scratches in the films as I've seen with other budget DVD labels. Sound? Crisp & clear.
Picture? Sharp as a tack!I'm amazed at the quality of this DVD & wish other budget DVD companies were on the same level as this one.2 of the movies I've seen before on fuzzy budget label EP speed VHS tapes. Beat The Devil (Madacy) & They Made Me A Criminal (Diamond Entertainment) but on this DVD they looked great.Never heard of Thunder In The City or Outpost In Morocco but this DVD has first rate transfers of them. I enjoyed all 4 movies & at $10 is was a good deal in my book."