laureatedvd.com

Ryan · Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Ft Myers, FL US

Had to say I agree with Mark in the cases of Vivacious Lady, a great film, and also wouldn't mind seeing Major and the Minor, Stage Door or Kitty Foyle (Ouch).
However, I could keep on going without Lucky Partners and Once Upon a Honeymoon.

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Thanks to Mark and Ryan. I agree it would be good to have some of Ginger's films. From my conversations in Universal, I don't believe they would be inclined to issue Ginger without Fred. Last year, we were planning a Bob Hope tribute box - but they felt that Bob didn't sell without Bing. Hence the "Roads" box.

I then suggested a Billy Wilder box - to include "The Major and the Minor."
Again, the response was negative. I can only hope that sometime in the future, Universal will employ some marketing people who have sufficinet love of movies to realise that there are a lot more movie buffs out there
than the dealers think. Universal's present head of marketing, sad to say, is more interested in pleasing the dealer than the consumer. Meanwhile, the dealer is looking to the marketing companies to tell them what to sell. It's a case of the blind leading the blind.

To come back to Ginger's films, you forgot to mention "Bachelor Mother" (1939), "Storm Warning" ( 1950 ) - a strong Ku Klux Klan drama with Doris Day as her sister - and "Tight Spot" (1955) - a smashing little thriller with Edward G. Robinson. Ginger's screen output was far more varied than people think.

Ken

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Warners won't issue "Storm Warning" because "nobody knows it" ?
What it probably means is that no one in the company knows it.
Maybe they don't know Ginger Rogers or Doris Day or Ronald Reagan and maybe they never heard of the Ku Klux Klan. I haven't seen it for quite a while but I remember it as being a pretty powerful film for its time.

A nice bit of trivia is that, as a teenager, Doris Day had idolised Ginger Rogers was delighted to be playing her kid sister in the film. I'm sure that Warners could move quite a lot of copies of this movie if they put it on DVD - especially since it's never even been on VHS.

It's easy to see why Fox are releasing "Roxie Hart" on DVD. This was the story on which the musical "Chicago" was based. It's been a while since I've seen this but I seem to remember that Ginger was very good in it.
While it's not really a musical, she does get to dance in it and it has a good
1920s period feel about it. This will be one to buy.

Mark Bakker · Posted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 9:26 pm Post subject: Ginger Rogers

Looking at these Ginger Rogers postings has made me very aware of just how few Ginger films i have seen.
I guess i've only seen the 'Astaire & Rogers' films (except 'The Castles') and 'Kitty Foyle', maybe one other.
I did however have the pleasure of meeting Miss Rogers about 12 years ago, during a book signing in London. She was 80 plus and in a wheelchair but still unmistakably Ginger. A great lady!
Mark Bakker

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Mark,

I know the work of this company. They are, as you may have guessed, a French company. They've done pretty good editions of "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons." You may find yourself stuck with French subtitles - but their packaging is quite good.

As far as I know, their restoration is not top-of-the-range. But their love of movies is undeniable. You'll probably be pleased with their DVDs.

Ken

Ryan · Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Ft Myers, FL US

I'd be very interested to hear your opinion of the discs, Mark. I thought about buying some of their Fred Astaire RKO releases last year, Swing Time and Damsel in Distress, my favorite Astaire film. But I was too worried about the quality and now they say the DVD's are "Actuellement indisponible". C'est la vie.

Jack Clowes · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 10 Location: N W England

Following on what Ken said about French subtitles, I have quite a lot of films bought in France with English dialogue and in many cases French subtitles are COMPULSORY. Presumably they think that most French viewers are incapable of selecting their choice of subtitles from the Menu!
_________________
Jack Clowes

NORTHWEST · Joined: 08 Feb 2004 Posts: 14

Here's another vote for more Ginger Rogers please on DVD.
I would buy every single title mentioned in this thread and as Ken said, Ginger's output was perhaps more varied than just an association with Fred Astaire.
Bachelor Mother with David Niven is one of my favourite titles and is a great movie to watch at Christmas time. A very sharp, adeptly played comedy.

Ryan · Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Ft Myers, FL US

Mark, the great Damsel in Distress is still listed at their website: http://www.editionsmontparnasse.fr/ if you click on DVD and then do a search for "Astaire" it will come up along with their other titles. Odd to me is the way they change the names of some of the films. Flying Down to Rio becomes "Carioca", and Roberta becomes "Amanda"?

Ken Barnes · Host Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 548

Ryan,

If Editions Montparnasse are listing "Roberta" as "Amanda" - they are wrong. "Amanda" was actually an alternative title in some territories to "Carefree" ( after the character Amanda Cooper played by Ginger ).

Ken

Ryan · Joined: 02 Feb 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Ft Myers, FL US

Oh goodness, now I see. Make that my error rather than theirs. I do remember seeing "Damsel" on DVD there, though. I think PJ's site was right at the time he wrote that, maybe their selection dwindled?