Product Description

Henry Fonda stars as an unpopular politician, Navy officers, and a wrongfully accused musician.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: UN
Release Date: 19-SEP-2006
Media Type: DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #59514 in DVD
• Brand: FONDA,HENRY
• Released on: 2006-09-19
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English, German, Italian, Spanish
• Number of discs: 4
• Dimensions: .90 pounds
• Running time: 536 minutes

Amazon.com
Otto Preminger expanded his vision in the 1960s with a whole series of ambitious, expansive dramas with huge casts and big themes. Advise and Consent, an examination of deal making, party politics, and congressional diplomacy in Washington's legislative halls (based on the novel by Allen Drury), is one of his best. Preminger broke the blacklist with his previous film, Exodus, and it rings through in this drama about a controversial nominee for secretary of state (a confident, stately Henry Fonda) accused of being a Communist. The nomination process becomes the center ring of the political circus, with fidgety accuser Burgess Meredith in the spotlight; devious, silver-tongued Charles Laughton cracking the whip as a southern senator with a grudge against Fonda; and party whip Walter Pidgeon lining up votes behind the scenes. Arm twisting and diplomatic hardball turns to perjury and blackmail, and a melodramatic twist gives this lesson in party politics a salacious soap opera dimension.

The German offensive in December 1944 became the basis for the all-star Hollywood Battle of the Bulge. Henry Fonda is an officer who predicts the assault, Robert Ryan and Dana Andrews are Army brass skeptical of his intuitions, and Robert Shaw is a German officer leading the tank attack. Shaw is certainly the most compelling thing about the film, especially in his philosophical debates with ambivalent underling Hans Christian Blech. Elsewhere, the movie jumps around to sidebar stories (cowardly James MacArthur becomes a leader, wheeler-dealer Telly Savalas falls in love) while messing around with the historical facts of the battle. There are interesting episodes, such as the Malmedy massacre of American POWs and the Germans' use of English-speaking spies, but overall Battle of the Bulge has the feeling of having been patched together from different scripts. On the physical level the movie comes up short, with the Spanish locations rarely suggesting the wintry misery of the battle, and the use of models and studio sets highly inadequate. A number of war films from this era are compelling on their own terms, but in the wake of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, this one looks antique.

Henry Fonda re-created his Broadway hit Mister Roberts for the 1955 film that was mostly directed by Fonda's frequent collaborator, John Ford (Young Mr. Lincoln, My Darling Clementine)--an ailing Ford was replaced at some point by Mervyn LeRoy--and the results are exceptionally fine. A perfect cast, including James Cagney's irascible captain, William Powell's thoughtful physician, and Jack Lemmon's Oscar-winning Ensign Pulver, give Fonda the right boost to portray his ennui-burdened officer with dignity, self-effacing humor, and not a trace of self-pity. A wonderful film.

Alfred Hitchcock was fond of telling the story about how his father discouraged his son from even the slightest criminal impulse by having young Alfred locked in a police holding cell for a brief period--a terrifying experience Hitchcock never forgot. Much of the fear from that childhood incident resonates through The Wrong Man, which is unique among Hitchcock's films in that it is based entirely on a factual case that occurred in New York City in January 1953. As Hitchcock states in a shadowy prologue, authenticity was his primary goal--including the use of actual names and locations from the case--and the film gains considerable power from Hitchcock's semi-documentary approach (a film noir style that was still in vogue when Hitchcock shot this film in 1957). Henry Fonda is perfectly cast as the financially struggling nightclub musician who is mistakenly identified as a robber when he attempts to cash in his wife's life-insurance policy to pay for her much-needed dental work. Vera Miles is equally superb as the suffering wife, who ultimately cracks under the pressure of her husband's wrongful accusation and the drawn-out process of proving his innocence. Through all of this, Hitchcock pays close attention to the mundane details of police procedure, intensifying Fonda's desperation and the narrative tension that was Hitchcock's directorial trademark. As it happens, the strict adherence to factual detail--no matter how absurd or incredible--also renders The Wrong Man somewhat weaker than Hitchcock's classic plots, since in this case truth is decidedly stranger than fiction. Nevertheless, this is still a riveting film that fits quite nicely alongside Hitchcock's better-known films of the 1950s.

Customer Reviews

A Strong Signature Collection for the New, the Curious, and the Appreciative
First and foremost, Warner Bros. Pictures releases and distributes the Henry Fonda-The Signature Collection. Why do certain movies not appear in this collection? Well, those titles are released and distributed by different film studios and corporations.

Secondly, this box collection of four strong films was my very first product review. My first review reeked of enthusiasm and sloppiness. My second one perfumed with apologies, but seemed wordy and empty of my personality. I hope this third edition contains deep notes of peace, showcasing a potpourri of my appreciation for Mr. Fonda as well as a mass accumulation of knowledge, insights, and trivia.

Overall, The Henry Fonda-The Signature Collection deserves five stars for showcasing the range, strength, and authenticity of Henry Fonda. (Apparently, I can not change my rating of four stars to five...most disappointing.) Much Kudos for the simple packaging and execution because it is a huge undertaking to put together a movie box collection for such a great actor. For the price alone, these four films create and generate much dialogue and appreciation. This is a strong collection for those that are new, curious, and sentimental when it comes to Henry Fonda.

*****

-Two of the four films were made in the 1950s ("Mister Roberts" and "The Wrong Man"), and the 1960s ("Advise and Consent" and "Battle of the Bulge").
-Two of the four films are filmed in black and white, "The Wrong Man" (1956) and "Advise and Consent (1962)." When the directors of these films filmed in black and white, notice the differences in atmosphere and effect.
-Two of the four films are shot in color, "Mister Roberts (1955)" and "Battle of the Bulge (1965)." World War II is a character and/ background in both movies, with different outlooks.
-"Mister Roberts" is the closest experience you will get to seeing Henry Fonda's stage performance.
-"The Wrong Man" is based on a true story...actual locations, names, intentions, and all.
-One year before "Advise and Consent," the UK comes out with Victim. Both of these movies are the PERFECT bookends.
-The famed Ken Annakin of the UK not only directed "Battle of the Bulge," but he is one of the many directors for [ASIN:B000EHSVRS The Longest Day (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)]]. Henry Fonda appears in this mammoth 1962 war epic as well. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation distributes "The Longest Day," NOT Warner Bros. Pictures.
-Please remember that all four Fonda titles listed in this box set are from Warner Bros. Pictures.

*****

These are the four films of the Henry Fonda Signature Collection, listed by chronological order by release date. These four films consist of the actor's post-war career.

1. "Mister Roberts."
This comedy-drama was also a successful stage play. Henry Fonda played the title role of the senior officer of the U.S.S. Reluctant, resulting in a Tony win for his performance. I believe this 1955 movie anchors us in Fonda's roots, in theater. After all, he began as an amateur stage actor in his Nebraska community theater and continued to perform on while thriving as a film actor.

2. "The Wrong Man."
This is a HEAVY drama. Released in 1956, where Hollywood manufactured formulaic, farce-laden stories, "The Wrong Man" grounds itself on of a true story (Manny Banlestrero), a director (Alfred Hitchcock), and an actor (Henry Fonda).

This great work remains a fine addition to the Signature Collection because it is an undervalued and not often watched Hitchcock film. It is a rare occurrence to see this movie in a collection other than [ASIN:B0002HOES0 The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (Strangers on a Train Two-Disc Edition / North by Northwest / Dial M for Murder / Foreign Correspondent / Suspicion / The Wrong Man / Stage Fright / I Confess / Mr. and Mrs. Smith)]].

SIDENOTE: This is the first and only paring with Alfred Hitchcock and Henry Fonda.

3. "Advise and Consent."
A searing social-political drama by Otto Preminger. This director cooks his films with an incredible cast. And his meaty movies sizzle of quality, mature age, real-life issues, artistic heartiness, and long running times. In the end, Preminger's movies leave you with a satiated movie experience.

Henry Fonda profits with a fantastic director at the helm; a challenging script; a wonderful ensemble cast with Charles Laughton, Walter Pidgeon, Burgess Meredith, Gene Tierney, Franchot Tone, and Lew Ayres. (Ayres is the kind physician to Jane Wyman in Negulesco's Johnny Belinda) You are in for a searing, social-political drama by Otto Preminger. Yes, "searing" and Preminger go well together.

I do not know about you, but I always confuse Otto Preminger with Erich Von Stroheim. First off, the birthplace of these two impresarios is Vienna, Austria. Secondly, both intimidating men have round, hairless heads. Lastly, both men act, and act well. Just you watch Sunset Boulevard - The Centennial Collection" and Stalag 17 (Special Collector's Edition)" and I dare you to confuse both men.

SIDENOTE: Check out another film by Otto Preminger. It's Daisy Kenyon (Fox Film Noir) with Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews, and Henry Fonda. which 20th Century Fox releases and distributes. Preminger's film noirs at 20th Century Fox are a cinema treat.

4. "Battle of the Bulge."
This battle movie highlights the historic German counter-offensive in World War II. The color distracts. The star cast ought to be studied and compared with the ensemble in Preminger's "Advise and Consent." More over, "Battle of the Bulge" raises issues of artistic liberties and movies on warfare & historical situations such as the definition of authenticity, respect, and propaganda.

Ken Annakin's movie would have been stronger in black and white, effectively shot in cinéma vérité style like a certain classic Italian film on the Algerian war. The Battle of Algiers - Criterion Collection premiered one year later before Ken Annakin's exploited epic.

Limited selection
I do agree with other reviews - there's not much here and it's all already available. But I do have to comment on something I see over and over in these reviews - Warner Brothers doesn't own the rights to every movie ever made. The reason they can't include his great Western "Once Upon a Time in the West" is because the rights are owned by Paramount Pictures, and "Grapes of Wrath" is owned by 20th Century Fox, just to name two.

Great bunch of movies!
I bought this set because it had two of my favorite Henry Fonda movies included - Mister Roberts and Battle of the Bulge. I already owned Advise and Consent from another movie collection, but The Wrong Man was a new one for me. An excellent way to spend a weekend!