| Special
Features: |
The Left Handed Gun (1958): Commentary by director
Arthur Penn and theatrical trailer.
Pocket Money (1972): Theatrical trailer only.
Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956): Commentary by Paul
Newman, Robert Loggia, Director Robert Wise, Martin Scorsese,
and Richard Schickel, and trailer.
The Young Philadelphians (1959): Commentary by director
Vincent Sherman and film historian Drew Casper and the trailer.
Harper (1966) : Commentary by director William Goldman,
Introduction by Robert Osborne, and the Theatrical trailer.
Drowning Pool (1975): Vintage featurette Harper Days
Are Here Again and theatrical trailer.
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| Review:
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Warner Home Video has offered us a new collection of
the early work of a film legend in The Paul Newman Collection.
This six disc set does not contain his greatest or most
well-known work, but it does give viewers a fine selection
of this actor's earlier work, as well as some excellent
lesser-known films showcasing Mr. Newman. Classic films
viewed in original black and white are a unique area in
the film genres. They exemplify not only the early days
of film itself, but often the charm and innocence of the
era in which the film was created as well. This collection
contains some wonderful Classic examples as well as several
Newman films which have not been offered on the DVD format
til now. ****
Somebody Up There Likes Me is a biographical film that
illustrates the life of boxer Rocky Graziano. Originally
this role was offered to James Dean, but his tragic death
forced a new casting. Neither of these film idols could
have ever been mistaken for the real Graziano of course,
but Newman conveys the angry young man at loose ends very
well. The rise from New York underdog fighting poverty,
abuse, and his own rage to become a middleweight champion
and win the love of his gentle lady is probably on the cusp
of becoming a cliche if it hasn't already fallen over that
fine edge, but this film was cutting edge drama for its
time and still holds up well. We follow Rocky along his
rise through petty crime, a brief stint in jail, an even
briefer stint in the army and finally as a $10 dollar a
session sparring partner in the boxing ring that leads him
to fuller pockets and eventually, fame. As one might expect,
it is only when Rocky earns the love of Norma, his lady
fair, that he truly begins to settle down and develop a
conscience. Based on Graziano's autobiography, this is the
film that really thrust Paul Newman into the limelight and
stands out as that pivotal role that turned this actor's
career from a young somebody into a rocketing film icon.
Newman's heart-tugging and energetic performance really
carry the film, although it is readily apparent that a lot
of hard work went into this film. It went on to win two
Academy Awards; Best B & W Cinematography and Best B & W
Art Direction. Robert Loggia and Steve McQueen also debuted
in this work, and the title song is a pleasing rendition
by Perry Como that adds a further nostalgic edge to this
drama for first time viewers. ****
The Left Handed Gun is an oddly sympathetic look at
William Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid. Today, this
film is touted as a uniquely influential work in the Western
genre, but it was received by audiences with mixed success.
Newman gives a rather interesting performance here, displaying
a twitchy uncertain Bonney with one foot in his Peter Pan
existence and the other on the oft-times rocky shore of
Manhood. While Newman's performance is well worth a look,
I can't say that I was ever very fond of this film. I was
rather young when I first watched this and I was confused
by the conflict between how Bonney was portrayed here and
all that I read about him afterward. I still feel that Bonney
was given a misunderstood hero status in this work that
he really didn't deserve. While Westerns aren't my favorite
genre, I could suggest better works in that genre that also
star Paul Newman. He does give an thought-provoking performance
though. For Newman, Bonney or Western fans, it is well worth
the view time though and makes for an interesting departure
from the other films in this collection. ****
The Young Philadelphians is centered on a clever, talented
and thirsty young lawyer, Anthony Lawerence, from the wrong
side of the tracks who's main goal appears to be climbing
the Philly social ladder. A melodrama that probably inspired
a lot of soap opera moments over the following years, it
is riddled with tumultuous relationships, courtroom drama
and social tension. It's actually quite entertaining watching
Lawerence try to juggle his fiancee, his mother, Chester
the family friend who ends up on trial for murder, his colleagues
and occasionally their wives! Barbara Rush, Brian Keith,
Alexis Smith, Billie Burke, John Williams and the appearance
by Adam West add a little spice to the stew that Newman
brews here.****
Harper is one of the first Newman films and also one
of the first courtroom dramas I remember watching. Based
on Ross MacDonald's The Moving Target, Lew Harper is a hard-boiled
cynical P.I. who goes looking for a wealthy woman's (Lauren
Bacall!) missing husband.A parade of unsavory and interesting
character enlivens the tale. Robert Wagner as a bed-hopping
psuedo-Kato Kaelin type, Shelley Winters as an ex-starlet
drowning her sorrows in the bottom of a bottle, Janet Leigh
as Lew's alienated wife, and Arthur Hill as a gun-happy
attorney help to develop the plot in this adroit script
by William Goldman. If you like crime flicks, quotable dialog,
or good old fashion Bogey-style mysteries, this is well
worth the watch. ****
Nearly ten years later, Newman revisited the role of
Lew Harper in The Drowning Pool. I started to watch this
one by chance before I had seen Harper, but my Dad happened
across me at the right moment and suggested I watch Harper
first. This is one of the many reasons why I love when a
cable channel will feature a particular actor for a whole
month! I doubt it would have made much difference to my
enjoyment of either film though. Here, Harper finds himself
immersed in Louisiana backwaters investigating the blackmail
of an oil heiress played by Joanne Woodward. Newman's performance
is nearly always top notch, but this one to me it is worth
watching just for the early appearance of Melanie Griffith!
I always love spotting actors in their early years though.
Harper finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place
as the intrigue unravels. One could argue that Harper is
the better film, but I've found that I've re-watched Drowning
Pool far more often. Another good crime drama. ****
Pocket Money always seemed to me as if it were a role
that Paul Newman took to get away from his typical roles
and avoid getting into a rut, rather than because it was
one he was actually drawn to perform. A rather comedic Western,
Paul Newman and Lee Marvin are a couple of down and out
cowpokes who get duped into more than they bargained for
when they let themselves be roped into a cattle smuggling
scheme. Newman's naive Jim Kane and Marvin's foolish but
sly Leonard make an entertaining duo in this offbeat leisurely
character driven film. Not a stellar work, but certainly
amusing. Pocket Money is a lot like watching Newman on a
cowboy holiday. Entertaining, but not Newman's brightest
role. ****
Director John Huston's The MacKintosh Man is an excellent
little cold war spy thriller. Newman's Joesph Reardon appears
to be an escaped convict who breaks out of prison with a
spy. They start out hiding in a remote manor and things
rapidly get a lot less certain after that! Racing from Ireland
to Malta, Reardon pursues the truth and his own agenda.
Some solid support is given here from Harry Andrews, Ian
Bannen, Dominique Sanda and James Mason. If you look closely
in some scenes you just might catch a glimpse of the film
crew reflected in a window, but the only real drawback is
the somewhat abrupt ending. Interesting settings and a memorable
car chase add to the flavor.****
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