James Stewart Signature Collection

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#1 Post by **Jeff** » Sun May 14, 2006 7:04 pm

Due on August 15 with an MSRP of $49.92. Individual titles are $19.97 each. Per DVD Times, the collection will include:

The FBI Story (1959)
Stewart portrays one of J. Edgar Hoover's finest and Vera Miles co-stars as his steadfast wife in this salute to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The colorful career of Agent Chip Hardesty (Stewart) covers 1924 to the late '50s. Along the way he tangles with everything from the Ku Klux Klan to a bomber who commits mass murder for insurance money. His fiercest exploits come in the '30s when he stares down a gun barrel at Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, Machine Gun Kelly, Ma Barker and John Dillinger. From two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Don Whitehead's bestseller and directed by veteran Hollywood hit maker Mervyn LeRoy.

Features include:

* Theatrical trailer
* Languages: English & FranÃ§ais
* Subtitles: English, FranÃ§ais & EspaÃ±ol (feature film only)

The Naked Spur (1953)
â€œPlain arithmetic: Money splits better two ways instead of three,â€

#2 Post by **zedz** » Sun May 14, 2006 7:15 pm

Jeff wrote:The Naked Spur

At long last. Helluva film, full of great performances. The James Stewart / Robert Ryan dynamic is thrilling to watch.

unclehulot · #3 Post by **unclehulot** » Sun May 14, 2006 11:05 pm

Regarding The Spirit of St. Louis, does anyone remember if the LD release was in actual stereo? Seems to me even lbx. airings on tv have had a mono track, and my Varase Sarabande CD of the soundtrack certainly seems mono. I remember seeing the LD listed as stereo somewhere, but I'm curious if it was (and might be on DVD) one of those Chace Surround deals.

Waxman's score is certainly one of the top 10, perhaps even top 5 for me, totally rescuing a film that I might have watched once with some pleasure, but certainly not the number of times (3 or 4?) that I have because of it!

tryavna · #4 Post by **tryavna** » Mon May 15, 2006 12:35 am

unclehulot wrote:Waxman's score is certainly one of the top 10, perhaps even top 5 for me, totally rescuing a film that I might have watched once with some pleasure, but certainly not the number of times (3 or 4?) that I have because of it!

I think you're spot on about Waxman's wonderful score. Waxman is one of those film composers whose work keeps on growing in my esteem.

BTW, no commentary track or any kind of intro on doc on Naked Spur? Seems like a surprising oversight for one of the top westerns of all time....

filmfan · #5 Post by **filmfan** » Mon May 15, 2006 4:28 am

All great selections, though "Strategic Air Command" would be good for at least a stand-alone release.

That weepy June Allyson with that hair, lips, and her big dresses, REALLY gets to me !

Antoine Doinel · #6 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Mon May 15, 2006 7:46 am

The FBI Story isn't so great. It's not nearly as gripping as you might think a film about the FBI is, and its wholesome all-Americaness is a bit much. But it's good to see those other titles finally making their way to DVD.

filmfan · #7 Post by **filmfan** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:30 am

Antoine Doinel wrote:The FBI Story isn't so great. It's not nearly as gripping as you might think a film about the FBI is, and its wholesome all-Americaness is a bit much. But it's good to see those other titles finally making their way to DVD.

It's a product of it's times like only a BIG studio could produce it...but it's charming nonetheless as ONLY as Jimmy Stewart can do it...forced self-importance and the patriotic hystrionics and ALL !

filmfan · #8 Post by **filmfan** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:33 am

davidhare wrote:Was that "the great hairlip"?

REALLY there is something going on underneath all of that white-bread cleanliness.

If you recall the memoirs of Jerry Lewis and his affair with her, she REALLY was a simmering cauldron of sexiness !

That tom boy husky voice makes me want to....

tryavna · #9 Post by **tryavna** » Mon May 15, 2006 12:18 pm

filmfan wrote:
Antoine Doinel wrote:The FBI Story isn't so great. It's not nearly as gripping as you might think a film about the FBI is, and its wholesome all-Americaness is a bit much. But it's good to see those other titles finally making their way to DVD.
It's a product of it's times like only a BIG studio could produce it...but it's charming nonetheless as ONLY as Jimmy Stewart can do it...forced self-importance and the patriotic hystrionics and ALL !

There are a couple of hilarious lines that Stewart has in this movie. (At least, I've always found them hilarious, for some reason.)

"Have you ever seen a little robin around here? A little robin redbreast? A little bird?!" (as if his wife has no idea what a robin is and Stewart has to provide a definition)

"Since it was Sunday, we knew he couldn't be going to work, and since he was a communist, we knew he wasn't going to church." (as if going to church on Sunday would somehow make the suspect OK)

filmfan · #10 Post by **filmfan** » Mon May 15, 2006 2:26 pm

tryavna wrote:
filmfan wrote:
Antoine Doinel wrote:The FBI Story isn't so great. It's not nearly as gripping as you might think a film about the FBI is, and its wholesome all-Americaness is a bit much. But it's good to see those other titles finally making their way to DVD.
It's a product of it's times like only a BIG studio could produce it...but it's charming nonetheless as ONLY as Jimmy Stewart can do it...forced self-importance and the patriotic hystrionics and ALL !
There are a couple of hilarious lines that Stewart has in this movie. (At least, I've always found them hilarious, for some reason.)

"Have you ever seen a little robin around here? A little robin redbreast? A little bird?!" (as if his wife has no idea what a robin is and Stewart has to provide a definition)

"Since it was Sunday, we knew he couldn't be going to work, and since he was a communist, we knew he wasn't going to church." (as if going to church on Sunday would somehow make the suspect OK)

I love the bending of historical facts that ONLY Hollywood could do, and making it sound, all so serious and prophetic with impending doom and importance. Hollywood Real.

Gigi M. · #11 Post by **Gigi M.** » Wed May 17, 2006 4:49 pm

Artwork

tryavna · #12 Post by **tryavna** » Wed May 17, 2006 5:34 pm

I never knew Stewart played James Bond!

skuhn8 · #13 Post by **skuhn8** » Thu May 18, 2006 3:14 am

tryavna wrote:I never knew Stewart played James Bond!

Looks like somenoe stuck a feather in his pistol.

justeleblanc · #14 Post by **justeleblanc** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:15 am

Are there enough Warner/Stewart films to constitute a second box? I only say this because I am STILL holding out onthe Lubitsch, hoping it will shed the snapper.

Gigi M. · #15 Post by **Gigi M.** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:49 pm

justeleblanc wrote:Are there enough Warner/Stewart films to constitute a second box? I only say this because I am STILL holding out onthe Lubitsch, hoping it will shed the snapper.

Man, you're holding on a masterpiece just because the packaging.

justeleblanc · #16 Post by **justeleblanc** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:50 pm

gigimonagas wrote:
justeleblanc wrote:Are there enough Warner/Stewart films to constitute a second box? I only say this because I am STILL holding out onthe Lubitsch, hoping it will shed the snapper.
Man, you're holding on a masterpiece just because the packaging.

gigi, once again i applaud your ability to buy a snapcase, but to me they are kryptonite.

i have it on VHS, along with all of the musicals, so i can wait.