Search - SS United States: Lady in Waiting on DVD


SS United States: Lady in Waiting
SS United States Lady in Waiting
Actors: Walter Cronkite, Leroy Neiman
Director: Robert Radler
Genres: Comedy, Educational, Documentary
G     2008     0hr 57min

Studio: Repnet Llc Release Date: 09/30/2008 Run time: 95 minutes

     
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Movie Details

Actors: Walter Cronkite, Leroy Neiman
Director: Robert Radler
Genres: Comedy, Educational, Documentary
Sub-Genres: Comedy, Educational, History
Studio: Choices Inc
Format: DVD - Color,Full Screen,Widescreen,Anamorphic
DVD Release Date: 08/19/2008
Original Release Date: 01/01/2008
Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/2008
Release Year: 2008
Run Time: 0hr 57min
Screens: Color,Full Screen,Widescreen,Anamorphic
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 2
MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Languages: English
 

Movie Reviews

The Grandest Ship Ever Christened
Kevin Killian | San Francisco, CA United States | 12/15/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"One memory I have of my dad is him taking me to see the SS United States, the subject of Robert Radler's new documentary, when it came to dock in Nerw York Harbor. I would sit on his shoulders and he would point out, from the dock, the various features of the great ship. "There are many liners," he said, "but this one's the grandest ship ever christened." He and my mom never went anywhere, they were too bsuy raising a passel of kids out on Long Island, but I remember one time his old wartime buddy and the friend's wife were setting sail on a voyage to Europe, and they invited my parents to a shipboard party before the sail--and I got to go too--course, I was only a tadpole and remember hardly anything except the clouds of confetti that enveloped us everywhere we walked on the huge, wide, sun deck of the United States. A sun deck big as a supermarket!

When I saw the documentary "Lady in Waiting" all these floods of memory came rolling in, but I think the film will work even if you have never heard to the ship before; it is designed to appeal to anyone who has ever sailed anywhere--or ever wanted to, and its clever combination of vintage, newsreel and originally shot footage and contemporary interviews mimics somewhat the easy, almost hypnotic motion of a great craft on the water.

And passion! The people you will hear and see speaking of their love of the SSUS love the old "lady in waiting" (now biding its time in Philadelphia where it has become part of the scenery), and that love shines through every frame of this stirring documentary. At times you have to pinch yourself and say, "And this isn't a madeup story, dramatic and inspirational as it is. By golly, this is real!"

New material supplements well-chosen clips so the feeling throughout is a delicate balance between past and present--the two worlds collide in an eerie, romantic way. All right, the ship is 700 thousand tons of steel but it comes alive as a living, breathing presence, both in mothballs and in period footage of her glory days.

The whole doc goes by in what seems like minutes. I can't wait to see what happens with the preservation campaign, more power to the conservancy. Let it shine as it did for my late father, whose dream it always was to sail away on it. Sadly, by the time he could raise enough money to take himself and my mom to Europe, the ship he loved had been decommissioned! Everyone who has ever had a dream should be able to identify with the warm hearts and high hopes of the makers of SS UNITED STATES: LADY IN WAITING.
"
A long overdue tribute to an ocean greyhound
D. F. Jones | Santa Cruz County, CA USA | 12/22/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD will bring you joy, and it will also break your heart. The SS United States was, and still is, the fastest ocean liner ever built. A generation of American kids built models of her, including this writer. She was so fast her hull design remained classified for decades. She was beautiful. And she was American designed and American built. She belonged to an era when the US could, and did, design and build astonishing technical marvels. This is inspiring.

The DVD is also the story of how she has lain abandoned and rusting since the late 1960s, a ghost of her former self. It is the story of attempts to bring her back to life, thus far unsuccessful. This will break your heart. The SS United States deserves to be preserved and honored as one of America's greatest technical achievements. Hopefully, if enough people are motivated by this DVD, it will happen.

I wish the DVD had more footage of the Big U in her heyday, but I am sure the producers used everything they could find. The coda of the DVD is absolutely beautiful. If you love ships and the sea, I strongly recommend this DVD. The people who made it are committed to the SS United States, and it shows. A wonderful tribute, and long overdue."
Even if you have no interest in ships, you'll love this movi
K. Foreman | California, USA | 03/03/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I admit that I have no interest in ships, and only watched this movie at the urging of people I trust. I am SO glad I did, because it was wonderful! I was caught up in the story immediately, and became riveted by this amazing story of the fastest cruise ship ever made. The reason the movie works so well is the way it is crafted, with anecdotes, comments, and reminiscences of people who knew and loved the ship, and stunning visuals of the ship in its glory days superimposed over stark images of the ship as it now rests, decaying slowly in the harbor. There's a great musical score that actually made me cry, especially at the end--and I don't cry easily. Look, all I can say is that no matter whether you love ships or wouldn't walk a block to see the Titanic if it reappeared out of the depths, you'll love this beautifully made, fascinating, funny, and astonishing movie."
Very good overview
The Rocketeer | San Diego, CA USA | 11/25/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"My mom came over here from Germany on the SS United States in 1953, so this was really a gift for her, but it was great for me too to see what it was like travelling back then. It really makes me want to see the ship restored and put back into service. I'd buy two tickets and go with my mom this time. Anyway, good DVD, good overview of the ship's history, it's past and present, and hopefully future too."