CD-Charts Position 1
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Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House [1948]

starring: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas
directed by: H.C. Potter

Release Date May 04, 2007
This is a truly excellent film, unlike the lammentable so called remake 'The money pit', it has a very well observed and funny script, style, pace, characterization, and Cary Grant, of course. This film seems to have been ignored of late so count it as a lost classic and find it if you haven't already seen it.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

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Hellzapoppin' [1942]

starring: Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Martha Raye, Hugh Herbert, Robert Paige
directed by: H. C. Potter

Release Date February 05, 2007
Firstly I LOVE this movie. A longtime favorite that often gets re-played.

This revue pertains to the "Second Sight" DVD release. IMDB correctly lists the running time at 84 minutes. You'll note that this DVD's run time is 80 mins. I compared it to an old, but not very high quality video transfer, to see what was missing. I found that the entire movie IS complete on this DVD and I must admit it's a beautiful transfer, but for some unknown reason they speeded it up about 5 percent, making this 84+ min. movie run in only slightly more than 80 minutes. I suppose it's a minor quibble, but I thought I'd put a heads up for anyone considering this particular release.

I will say again, it's a beautiful, sharp transfer ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

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The Fred And Ginger Collection Vol. 2

starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
directed by: Mark Sandrich, George Stevens, Thornton Freeland, H.C. Potter

Release Date February 06, 2006
Having read the previous review I held off buying this collection until January 2007. I needn't have worried.

THE FILMS: The films are still classics of movement, light and music with the incomparable dancing pair.

FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933) is the oldest and most dated with too much footage devoted to the rather wooden Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond. The climax with the aerobatics and wing walking is still exciting despite the use of back projection.

THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934) is a lighter than air farce about mistaken identity, co-respondents and seaside hotels. Despite a dated title this has good comedy and much more dancing. It resembles Top Hat but is more like a trial run.

SWING TIME (1936) ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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The Astaire and Rogers: The Complete Film Collection (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Irene Dunne, Dolores del Rio, Gene Raymond
directed by: Charles Walters, George Stevens, H.C. Potter, Mark Sandrich, Thornton Freeland

Release Date October 24, 2006
The Ultimate Fred and Ginger Collection. Every film they ever starred in together all in one box set. All the movies are re-mastered so the picture and sound quality for each movie is excellent. There are lots of special features including documentaries and a cd soundtrack, even press releases and high quality prints are included in the set.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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The Time Of Your Life [1948]

starring: James Cagney, William Bendix, Wayne Morris, Jeanne Cagney
directed by: H.C. Potter

Release Date July 11, 2005
The Ultimate Fred and Ginger Collection. Every film they ever starred in together all in one box set. All the movies are re-mastered so the picture and sound quality for each movie is excellent. There are lots of special features including documentaries and a cd soundtrack, even press releases and high quality prints are included in the set.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

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3 Classic Musicals Of The Silver Screen - Vol. 1 - Second Chorus / The Duke Is Tops / Private Buckaroo

starring: Fred Astaire, Lena Horne, The Andrews Sisters
directed by: H.C. Potter, William L. Nolte, Edward F. Cline

Release Date March 07, 2005
The Ultimate Fred and Ginger Collection. Every film they ever starred in together all in one box set. All the movies are re-mastered so the picture and sound quality for each movie is excellent. There are lots of special features including documentaries and a cd soundtrack, even press releases and high quality prints are included in the set.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

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The Story Of Vernon And Irene Castle [1939]

starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, Walter Brennan, Lew Fields
directed by: H.C. Potter

Release Date February 09, 1998
This beautiful and poignant farewell from one of the most memorable and beloved of screen couples in film history was the perfect way to say goodbye. Their previous pairings had been filled with joy, grace and elegance; a delightful escapism which helped get everyone through the depression and set a tone of charm and romance no one else has ever come close to. Appropriately enough, their last in the incredible cycle is tender and sweet, faint echoes of their previous entries mixed with the melancholy of something special disappearing forever, never to pass this way again.

Astaire and Rogers tell the story of Vernon and Irene Castle, who set dance and fashion trends all across Europe and America during a more innocent time in the world. Their's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer [1938]

starring: Tommy Kelly, Jackie Moran, Ann Gillis, May Robson, Walter Brennan
directed by: George Cukor, H.C. Potter, Norman Taurog, William A. Wellman

Release Date September 16, 2002
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," with Tommy Kelly as the lead, has to our family, been a wonderful source of enjoyment from the period in which Mark Twain lived his life. One can label it as funny, cute, dramatic, suspenseful; especially in the courtroom, and the fight in the cave. It brings happy emotions and sad emotions to the surface. He is mischievous: always picking on his brother Sid, "in your face" if you like. He gets in trouble for things he didn't do, just as any living child would.
He lives with his Aunt Polly, a sister, and a brother. They have a young servant, Jim, who helps out.
This takes place at a time when slavery was still in use in the "south" of the United States. However, it does not treat it as an issue.
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CD-Charts Position 9
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Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House [1948]

starring: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas, Reginald Denny, Sharyn Moffett
directed by: H.C. Potter

Release Date January 12, 1998
I love this film!
It's one I return to again and again. It is charming, nostalgic and funny. Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are always very watchable and together in this film they make a lovely, humerous couple. I also recomend The Money Pit with Tom Hanks.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Royal Wedding / Second Chorus

starring: Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Burgess Meredith, Paulette Goddard
directed by: Stanley Donen, H.C. Potter, Ben Hecht

Release Date May 08, 2006
Purchasing this release of "Royal Wedding" will assure you status of the owner of probably the worst DVD transfer of Hollywood 50s musicals ever made.

What you will find on the disc is more or less picture quality of colourised parts of Broadway Melody of 1929 and Jazz Singer sound (plus rattling frames as an extra from the issuer, Messrs. Mediumrare Entertainment Limited, additionally encouraging you, on the cover, to check other - copyright-free I presume - "bargains" of similar type on their web site). Lack of any additional features (not even chapter selection or English subtitles) is meaningless in above context.

To sum up: the release is not worth adding to a collection even for free (not to mention spending a penny), forcing us thus ... Read More: