Product Description

Studio: Gotham (dba Alpha) Release Date: 05/25/2004

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17797 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-05-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 82 minutes

Customer Reviews

A LOST CLASSIC
Tom Brown's School Days is one of my favorite movies. I first saw it on local TV many years ago and was captivated by this classic coming of age tale.

Tom Brown is sent to a private school in order to save it from closing. The Dean of the school (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) sees Tom's success as the success of the school. Tom becomes a man but finds that the road to manhood is beset with terrible choices. The ending is inspiring and will put a lump in your throat.

If Harry Potter is a modern day Oliver Twist then Tom Brown is the link between them. In fact, there are many parallels between this film and "Potter." Both feature British boys becoming men at private schools, fighting off bullies and bad guys and bonding with lovabale characters. Tom can't perform magic but he has tremendous courage and lots of heart.

I found this gem on VHS and watched it so many times that the tape broke and I had to buy another one. Now on DVD it'll be mine forever.

Wonderful, lively story, abounding in charm.

Based upon true persons and the true experiences of the author. An exciting story of life at a boy's boarding school in England in the early 1830's. Shows the many adventures of new student Tom Brown with only a few minutes in the classroom. The real life headmaster of the school, Dr. Thomas Arnold, and his challenge to motivate the boys; "if they wish to govern others, they must first learn to govern themselves." A very lively story of friendship, with humor, adventure, and clever boyhood mischief. The bully, the Flashman, is well played, as are the many charming supporting characters.

The 1973 version is good, but lacks the great charm and lively pace of this 1940 version. However, the 1973 version has an almost completely different story; so if you have seen one; you can watch the other without repeating yourself.

There is either a sequel or this copy cut part of the story. I saw other scenes on television with the same actors. This version had at least one sentence cut. Amazon should put the sequel or the full length on DVD, and restore it (not remaster, not lighten and wash out). There is also a different 1951 version on TCM dot com for $20.

Be careful when you order this title
I ordered this title and received a home made copy on DVD (copied from a VHS) instead of the original as released by Gotham. Be careful.