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James Stewart Collection - Harvey/Mr Smith Goes To Washington/Rear Window/It's A Wonderful Life
RRP: £24.99
Our Price: £16.89 (subject to change)
Amazing
Review date: 2008-09-17 Rating: 10 out of 10
Excellent collection .ALL of the 4 DVDs are of good quality. My Wife and I fell into tears after watching "it is a wonderful life". The "Rear Window" is simply amazing .. good suspense Hitchcock style. "Mr Smith goes to Washington" gives an authentic view of how politicians scheme and conspire.
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Reviews
A gentle approach
Review date: 2007-12-30 Rating: 10 out of 10
The 4 films that come with this boxset are a fine example of an actor whose style was unique & touching.
The 2 best known titles here are my least favourite. Mr.Smith goes to washington is funny and has a gentle,if albeit right wing, swing at the slippery slope of American politics. It's a wonderful life is many peoples favourite all time film with Stewarts family everyman having a crisis of faith as the wicked & greedy seem to be taking over his home town, leaving no room for a decent man like himself. To aid him in his re-conversion to 'the right viewpoint' Stewart is sent an angel called Clarence who will only earn his wings by convincing Stewarts character to re-join the all-American way. It's easy to see why this is so popular but I am left cold by the rather sickly sweet coating and the fact that for all it's preaching of how wonderful life is it's the 'what if' sequence of 'Potterville' that we all live in now & Stewarts hometown is just a fantasy that never happened.
Harvey is quite frankly barking mad but it is all the better for it. A really simple idea of a rich man,(whisper it in today's PC society, he's an alchoholic), see's a 6 foot bunny no one else can. So there's an almighty effort to get him locked up so his money can be got at. That we never see the rabbit until the end and yet we believe it's constantly with Stewart is testimony to his acting ability. Harvey is funny & charming.
Rear window is something of a different era to the other 3 entirely and for my money is one of Hitchcocks finest. Grace Kelley shimmers in Dior throughout and as the housebound photographer getting suspicious of his dodgy neighbour,( a menacing Raymond Burr), Stewart is again extremely likeable. It's hard to believe that a film set inside 1 room looking out onto a tenement block opposite could be so gripping but Hitchcock wrings this for all it's worth and Kelly & Stewart have great chemistry.
All in all the 4 films here are different enough to appeal to all, you'll probably disagree with my choices and see things I missed but the one thing to agree on is that this a great chance to see a very likeable and talented actor at his peak.
Excellent boxed set
Review date: 2007-03-15 Rating: 10 out of 10
Four excellent James Stewart films. I've got used to boxed sets having 1 good film and three clunkers. Not this one. The prints are in excellent condition with decent sound, 'Mr Smith Goes To Washington' is really clear and crisp. Some of the discs also have documentary features about the film/actors.
You get two Democrat morality films in Mr Smith Goes To Washington, and It's A Wonderful Life. Don't be put off, both are funny, heartwarming and as relevant to the life we're leading now as they were when they were made.
Harvey is hard to describe, but any film about a man who is followed around by an invisible 6 foot rabbit is going to be unusual.
Rear Window is, well, Hitchcock...
If you've not really seen much of James Stewart and are wondering which films to watch there's no better place to start.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Josephine Hull
Jean Arthur
Claude Rains
James Stewart
Victoria Horne
Creators:
James Stewart (Primary Contributor)
Josephine Hull (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Uca
Manufacturer: Uca
EAN: 5050582526073
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: Box set, Black & White, Colour, PAL,
Release date: 2008-03-13
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 464 minutes