Search - Literary Classics Collection (Madame Bovary (1949), Captain Horatio Hornblower, The Three Musketeers (1948), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 and 1952 Versions), Billy Budd) on DVD

SIX LITERARY FILM CLASSICS COME TO DVD!

Forrest C. Hopson | Burnsville, NC USA | 12/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Three Musketeers" (1948) has got to be the best screen adaptation of the beloved Dumas literary classic. I had all but given up hope to have this on dvd! Gene Kelly is brilliant in the lead roll as D'Artagnan, and petite June Allyson (Little Women (1949) his love interest, Constance. Their comic performance in this classic is one not to be missed! The beautiful Lana Turner and the devious Vincent Price give a touch of elegant charm as the villains. Filmed in gorgeous Technicolor, this MGM jewel is one for the collection!

Also included is the Gregory Peck seafaring tale, "Captain Horatio Hornblower," in which Peck gives a fine performance. In 1807, unflappable Capt. Hornblower (Peck) of the British Navy is sent on a secret mission to divert Napoleon's Spanish allies by sponsoring a megalomaniac's Central American revolution. After a hard voyage, unexpected complications force Hornblower to revise his plans...and play reluctant host to the beautiful sister (Virginia Mayo) of the Duke of Wellington. Sea-battles, remarkable adventures, and a star-crossed romantic interlude follow.

A stellar cast give fine performances in another literary classic brought to film in the 1949 "Madame Bovary." French author Gustave Flaubert (James Mason) is on trial for writing the "indecent" novel "Madame Bovary." To prove that he wrote a moral tale, Flaubert narrates the story of beautiful Emma Bovary, (beautiful Jennifer Jones (Duel in the Sun (1946) an adulteress who destroyed the lives of everyone she came in contact with. The film also stars French actor, Louis Jourdan (GiGi (1958) and Van Heflin (Possessed (1947)

Two versions of the literary classic, "The Prisoner of Zenda" are also included. David O. Selznicks's 1937 version is a classic swashbuckler. Maj.Rudolph Rassendyll, (Ronald Colman) which is Rudolf V's identical distant cousin, is asked to risk his life and impersonate the would-be king. While doing so, his relative is kidnapped before his impending coronation. If Rudolf V isn't present at the ceremony, he will forfeit the crown to his younger brother. Complications ensue when Princess Flavia (lovely Madeleine Carroll) the cousin's betrothed, begins to notice a "personality change" in her fiancé.

The 1952 version of "The Prisoner of Zenda" stars Stewart Granger as Maj Rudolph Rassendyll, and Deborah Kerr as the Princess Flavia. The story is beautifully filmed in Technicolor with Granger and Kerr giving fine performances, especially Granger that excelled in swashbuckling tales such as this and my personal favorite, "Scaramouche (1952).

The sixth and final literary classic brought to film is the 1962 version of "Billy Budd." Billy (Terence Stamp) is an innocent, naive seaman in the British Navy in 1797. When the ship's sadistic master-at-arms (evilly played by Robert Ryan) is murdered; Billy is accused and tried. Great performances by Peter Ustinov, Melvyn Douglas, Terence Stamp, and especially Robert Ryan, who certainly deserved what he got!

Any serious dvd collector of classic Hollywood films will definitely add these gems to their library and be glad that they did!

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Good stuff!!

Jonathan M. Norberg | Grand Forks, ND | 11/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This item popped up in my recommendations yesterday, and I was excited! Although this is still about 4 months away from being released, it is highly anticipated by me.

The main attractions in this collection (at least from my perspective) are "Captain Horatio Hornblower" and "The Three Musketeers." Neither of these has been available on DVD, and I have looked forward to their inevitible (eventual) release.

"The Three Musketeers" is a very fun movie. This literary classic has been made into several movies over the years, but this is my favorite. There is a humerous slant to this that only someone like Gene Kelly could add. This was actually one of those videos that I watched as a kid, and it made an impression on me. There are some good laughs and overall good entertainment!

"Captain Horatio Hornblower" is another one of those that makes you wonder what took so long to get on DVD! An all-time great that epitomizes the seafaring tale--and Gregory Peck doing a terrific job.

"The Prizoner of Zenda" is considered one of the all-time great family adventure movies by some prominent critics (at least the 1937 version). A terrific addition to this collection.

As for the remaining three, I cannot give individual reviews on them because I have not seen them. However, I would most likely buy this collection for the other three alone, so an additional three titles just makes the bargain better! This is a terrific buy with several "overdue" DVD releases. This is a no brainer for your classic movie collection!"

Diamonds are forever!!

Michalis Tapakoudis | 03/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I ordered this package because of Captain Hornblower and The Three Musketeers, two films that have really marked my childhood memories. I haven't had the chance to see the rest of the films so this package was an excellent chance to do so and also get the two other films that I only possess in worn-out VHS copies.
I have already watched Captain Hornblower and it was as if it was brand new. The quality and sound are of high quality, the colours are better and I also loved the fact that I had the english subtitles available (I always wanted to figure out the "Fire as your guns bare" phrase).
The price is not a bargain only if you compare it with other available box-sets but I would pay even more for this one."

6 GREAT FILMS. GREAT PRESENTATION. GREAT VALUE. BRAVO WB

Eric | Columbus, OH | 03/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like so many other Warner Brothers releases, this set will spoil you. A 5 disc set of 6 great films (2 versions of ZENDA on one disc), beautifully remastered, exquisitely packaged, and selling here on Amazon for a bargain price.

This is one to tell your friends about, because there's something for everyone here. I echo all the positive comments left by others, and underscore emphatically how amazing it is to finally have a proper widescreen BILLY BUDD. The other films in the collection haven't been as hard to see or own as BILLY, but BILLY suffered from being made by a small company (Allied Artists).

Warner rectifies that error now with this great new set, which is a no-brainer purchase for any true cinephile."