A romantically compulsive elementary school teacher (Robert Downey Jr.) meets his match in the form of a sassy museum guide (Molly Ringwald), who allows herself to be seduced--but then wants nothing more to do with him.

A romantically compulsive elementary school teacher Robert Downey Jr. meets his match in the form of a sassy museum guide Molly Ringwald who allows herself to be seduced--but then wants nothing more to do with him.

That Oscar-winning title song buzzes in your ears long after the movie has stopped. The attraction here is youthful spirit and a pulsating score, because the weak story is merely a conduit for the song-and-dance numbers. The plot is every young woman's daydream come true. Jennifer Beals holds down a macho job as a welder by day, but performs erotic dance numbers in a club at night. It's not a strip club, so her morality remains intact. She dates her wealthy boss (Michael Nouri) and practices hard for the day she can audition for the upscale, local dance school, even though she has no formal training. It is malarkey, of course, unless you view this as total romantic fantasy. It works because you are carried along by the sheer force of the energetic, boisterous, MTV-style imagery by... Less

This film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway smash tells the story of a young Chinese woman who travels to San Francisco as part of an arranged marriage. The problem is that her prospective husband has other plans. Not completely successful in its translation to the screen it remains nonetheless an appealing presentation.

Madonna tackles the title role in Alan Parker's ambitious recounting of the brief, amazing life of former Argentine first lady Eva Perón. Presented almost entirely in song and narrated by Antonio Banderas as a fictional everyman, the film charts the alternately revered and reviled Evita's rise from poverty to become a film and radio actress; her relationship with President Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce); and her tragic death from cancer at age 33.Banderas, a surprisingly moving singer, and the inimitable Madonna, who took voice lessons before filming commenced to expand her vocal range, provide the emotional bedrock for the eminently enjoyable film with their charismatic screen presences. The music, including the Oscar-winning song "You Must Love Me," weaves an entrancing web, and the sets... Less

When Julie Andrews sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin' in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray") and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It's not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis. Read our interview with Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp in The Sound of Music. It doesn't matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling... Less

Rodgers and Hammerstein made BIG musicals-- sweeping song and dance numbers, elaborate stagings, sweet heroines, and love struck but confused heroes. Flower Drum Song has all these elements, so why is it so little known? Perhaps because it had the misfortune to be released the same year (1961) as West Side Story, or maybe because at 133 minutes it's overlong, or did the audience have trouble accepting an all-Asian cast in an Asian-themed musical? Whatever the reasons, it's time to recognize Flower Drum Song for the gem it is. Picture bride Mei Li (Miyoshi Umeki) and her father arrive in San Francisco, having smuggled themselves into the country so Mei Li can marry nightclub owner Sammy Fong (whose mother arranged the whole deal). Mei Li is fascinated by the city and immediately... Less

Fifteen years after directing the florid and commercially successful Chopin bio-pic, the 1945 A Song to Remember, director Charles Vidor headed up this lush, Technicolor production about Franz Liszt--only to die a few weeks into shooting and be replaced by George Cukor. (Cukor insisted the credit remain with Vidor, and indeed there is little of Cukor's touch visible in this film.) Song Without End stars Dirk Bogarde as Liszt, and while the actor's stints at the piano are effectively dubbed by Jorge Boyet, the story really concerns the composer's entangled love life. Much, much less flamboyant than Ken Russell's Lisztomania, Song Without End is, in its own way, just as indulgent, extravagantly presuming that love is the major inspiration for the creation of music. No film about a composer... Less

This film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway smash tells the story of a young Chinese woman who travels to San Francisco as part of an arranged marriage. The problem is that her prospective husband has other plans. Not completely successful in its translation to the screen, it remains, nonetheless, an appealing presentation.

The title of Eric Rohmer's sixth and final film in his Comedies and Proverbs series, Boyfriends and Girlfriends, makes much more sense in its original French form: L'ami de mon amie (The Friend of My Friend). In this series, each stand-alone film is based on a proverb, in this case, "the friends of my friends are my friends." Thus when conservative 24-year-old Blanche (the beautiful and talented Emmanuelle Chaulet) is befriended by wild-child 22-year-old Lea (the exotic Sophie Renoir), they find themselves each tempted by the love interests of the other. Fabien (Eric Viellard) is Lea's long-term beau, into windsurfing and hiking, which fills Lea with ennui; she'd much rather party all night. Blanche is besotted with Alexandre (François-Eric Gendron), a ladies' man who barely... Less

There's little question that a remake of a successful film, even if inferior to the original (witness Sabrina), can be well received by an audience. It's unfortunate that this highly entertaining film is often dismissed in the wake of its equally excellent and successful predecessor (Ball of Fire, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck). Both films are directed by legend Howard Hawks, whose stamp on each film is evident but also gives each its own flavor and tone. A Song Is Born is unique in that it was remade, not in the usual 20-plus years after the original, but a mere 7 years later. A Song Is Born must be considered a stand-alone film--both Danny Kaye and frequent costar Virginia Mayo deliver topnotch musical-comedic-dr amatic performances. The story centers on a group of... Less

When Julie Andrews sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin' in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray") and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It's not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis. Read our interview with Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp in The Sound of Music. It doesn't matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling... Less

When Julie Andrews sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin' in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray") and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It's not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis. Read our interview with Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp in The Sound of Music. It doesn't matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling... Less

When Julie Andrews sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin' in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray") and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It's not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis. Read our interview with Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp in The Sound of Music. It doesn't matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling... Less

This collection of classics featuring America's sweetheart Doris Day includes the titles: YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN LULLABY OF BROADWAY LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME BILLY ROSE'S JUMBO PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES THE GLASS BOTTOM BOAT CALAMITY JANE and PAJAMA GAME. See individual titles for details.

The Beatles' songs may have provided the soundtrack for the lives of those coming of age in the 1960s, but their extensive catalogue acts as the literal soundtrack in this romantic musical from visionary director Julie Taymor. Newcomer Jim Sturgess stars as Jude, a young man working on the docks in Liverpool. Eager to escape, he travels to Princeton where he meets Max (Joe Anderson). But it's his meeting with Max's younger sister Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) that changes him. They quickly fall in love, but their relationship is tested by the chaos of the late 1960s and Max's unwilling tour in Vietnam. Throughout the film, characters burst into classics from the Beatles: frat boys sing "With a Little Help from My Friends," while Uncle Sam bursts from a recruitment poster with strains of "I Want... Less

When Julie Andrews sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin' in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray") and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It's not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis. Read our interview with Charmian Carr, who played Liesl von Trapp in The Sound of Music. It doesn't matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling... Less

From the majestic landscapes of a frozen land comes a beloved animated adventure to warm everyone'sheart. Featuring the incomparable songs of Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, and the voice talents of Martin Short, James Belushi, Tim Curry and Annie Golden, this animated tale from the creator of The Secret of NIMH is a magical musical treat for all. Your kids will love it...and you will too (Elayne Blythe, Film Advisory Board, Inc.). The Full Moon Mating Ceremony, a real-life penguintradition, requires that bachelor birds present pebbles to their sweethearts. And in this film, a shy bird named Hubie has the perfect stone for his love, Marina. But there's considerable competitionfor Marina's affections, and in an exciting race against time, sea, storm and a host of other obstacles,... Less

The Beatles' songs may have provided the soundtrack for the lives of those coming of age in the 1960s, but their extensive catalogue acts as the literal soundtrack in this romantic musical from visionary director Julie Taymor. Newcomer Jim Sturgess stars as Jude, a young man working on the docks in Liverpool. Eager to escape, he travels to Princeton where he meets Max (Joe Anderson). But it's his meeting with Max's younger sister Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) that changes him. They quickly fall in love, but their relationship is tested by the chaos of the late 1960s and Max's unwilling tour in Vietnam. Throughout the film, characters burst into classics from the Beatles: frat boys sing "With a Little Help from My Friends," while Uncle Sam bursts from a recruitment poster with strains of "I Want... Less

The title of Eric Rohmer's sixth and final film in his Comedies and Proverbs series, Boyfriends and Girlfriends, makes much more sense in its original French form: L'ami de mon amie (The Friend of My Friend). In this series, each stand-alone film is based on a proverb, in this case, "the friends of my friends are my friends." Thus when conservative 24-year-old Blanche (the beautiful and talented Emmanuelle Chaulet) is befriended by wild-child 22-year-old Lea (the exotic Sophie Renoir), they find themselves each tempted by the love interests of the other. Fabien (Eric Viellard) is Lea's long-term beau, into windsurfing and hiking, which fills Lea with ennui; she'd much rather party all night. Blanche is besotted with Alexandre (François-Eric Gendron), a ladies' man who barely... Less

Jack Jericho (Robert Downey Jr.) is a master in the art of meeting women, but the master has just met his match - the beautiful Randy Jensen (Molly Ringwald). In this hilarious, romantic comedy, a smug, compulsive womanizer who won't take no for an answer meets the woman of his dreams, only to find her impervious to his charm.

In Love Song of Vengeance, Shurayuki-hime--a. k.a. Lady Snowblood, "Yuki" for short (played by Meiko Kaji)--continues her advertures in the female samurai saga that inspired Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. In Lady Snowblood, Yuki avenged her family by slaying the four criminals that killed her father, raped her mother, and predestined her to the life of a justice-seeking assassin. Love Song of Vengeance picks up where Lady Snowblood let off, not so much as a sequel like Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy, but a continuation of the lone assassin's adventures (similar to Zaitochi). Sentenced to death for her crimes of murder, Yuki is given pardon by Kikui, a secret government police agent. In return for her freedom, Kikui wants Yuki to assassinate anarchist Ransui and obtain a secret document he is... Less

Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Showboat, based on Edna Ferber's 1926 novel, is a seminal American musical, the first to explore serious themes (most notably racism) and to truly integrate song with story and character. The plot follows three generations of a theatrical Mississippi riverboat family from the 1880s to the 1920s. The 1936 film version, directed by Englishman James Whale (Frankenstein), is probably the one that best captures the spirit its creators intended. First and foremost, it features Paul Robeson as Joe. His indelible rendition of "Ol' Man River," delivered strong, straight, and without bathos, is a stunningly powerful anthem about the plight of African Americans in the United States. (The song is set against a fascinating expressionist montage in 1930s social... Less

The second half of this 1943 Technicolor musical is an excuse for MGM's contract talent to perform songs and sketches in a big show at an Army base. Unfortunately, more than an hour passes before the show arrives, stranding the viewer with a thin service comedy about an opera singer (Kathryn Grayson) tagging along to a military camp in hopes of reuniting her estranged parents, whose names are Bill and Hillary (no comments, please). Romance comes in the form of private Gene Kelly, a former trapeze artist who misses the glory of his former life. Grayson warbles, and Kelly has one nifty solo dance (with a mop and broom), but the all-star revue is the movie's main attraction. The song selection is generally poor ("I Dug a Ditch in Wichita" is performed twice), with Lena Horne's sultry take on... Less

This film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway smash tells the story of a young Chinese woman who travels to San Francisco as part of an arranged marriage. The problem is that her prospective husband has other plans. Not completely successful in its translation to the screen, it remains, nonetheless, an appealing presentation.

Rogers and Hammerstein's Broadway musical, adapted from Margaret Landon's fact-based novel and the 1946 film ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM, makes a spectacularly successful move to the silver screen in the Yul Brynner tour de force THE KING AND I. Brynner, reprising the role he'd polished to perfection on stage, plays the blustering, headstrong Siamese potentate who meets his match in the form of Anna Leonowens (Deborah Kerr), the prim and proper English widow he's hired to oversee the rearing of his huge, unruly flock of children. Director Walter Lang (TIN PAN ALLEY) presents THE KING AND I, one of the most popular musicals in cinema history, as a dizzyingly bountiful Technicolor feast. Kerr (aided during songs by the overdubbed voice of Marni Nixon) contributes a dynamic performance that is... Less

In the days before home video when access to anything but first-run Hollywood movies was limited to repertory houses and college film societies Hal Ashby's HAROLD AND MAUDE achieved cult status and became a surprise hit. In a broad sense the film is a simple love story about how opposites attract--only this time around he's 19 and she's 79. Harold played with deadpan humor by Bud Cort MASH is under extreme pressure from his overbearing mother Mrs. Chasen Vivian Pickles in a performance that is a sheer delight to enter the dating world. Unfortunately the shy and morose Harold would rather spend his time attending the funerals of complete strangers. It is at one of these where he meets Maude Ruth Gordon who has the spunk and energy of a teenager. Maude is convinced that Harold needs to come... Less

After their brilliant collaborations on Howards End and The Remains of the Day, director James Ivory and Anthony Hopkins reunited (along with producer Ismail Merchant and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala) for this controversial film about the life and loves of the great artist Pablo Picasso. Hopkins is outstanding in the title role, portraying Picasso as a brilliant, manipulative egotist who used his power over women to fuel his artistic impulse and voracious sexual appetite. But Surviving Picasso is not intended to be a screen biography and, as many critics noted in mixed reviews, this 1996 film fails to provide any substantial insight into Picasso's complex personality. It's more about Françoise Gilot (Natascha McElhone), the aspiring artist who was one of the few women to "survive"... Less

Lively Cole Porter songs highlight this musical comedy. Gene Kelly's a dancer touring Europe who romances each of the beautiful members of his troupe (Taina Elg, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall), which leads to funny complications and a hilarious courtroom climax. Songs include "Les Girls," "Flower Song," "Ladies in Waiting," and more. 114 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish; featurette; bonus short "The Flea Circus" (1954); theatrical trailer. NOTE: This Title Is Out Of Print; Limit One Per Customer.

Hollywood legends Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blain (from the original Broadway cast) are dazzling in this Frank Loesser (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) masterpiece, unleashing a "spectacular, song-and-dance show that's loaded with entertainment" (New York Journal- American). Featuring hits like "Luck Be a Lady" and "A Woman in Love," this smash film version of one of Broadway's most popular musicals is guaranteed, rip-roaring "four-star entertainment" (New York Daily News). The slickest big-time New York City gamblers,Sky Masterson (Brando) and Nathan Detroit (Sinatra), can't resist making or taking a bet on anything. So when a pretty missionary (Simmons) sets up shop in the neighborhood, Nathan stakes a grand that Sky can't seduce her. But... Less