I Was a Male War Bride

Amazon.com essential video

This laugh-a-minute farce takes place in Occupied Germany, in the years following World War II. French officer Henri Rochard (Cary Grant) gets assigned to pair up with Lt. Catherine Gates (Ann Sheridan) to track down black marketers; they're already well acquainted and can't stand each other's presence. Eventually their antagonism turns to love, however, and they marry. Problem number two: navigating through U.S. Army red tape, which necessitates that Rochard be classified as a war bride and cross-dress to gain entry into the States. Grant makes an even less convincing woman than he does a Frenchman. The alternate title of this movie was You Can't Sleep Here, a phrase Grant hears over and over as he sleeps in all manner of horribly awkward and uncomfortable circumstances. Sheridan is utterly charming, and the many gags are a reminder of Grant's gifts for physical comedy. The film harks back to the screwball comedies of the '30s, only with a somewhat more leisurely pace. Sample lines, with Grant being handed a soggy infant: "Oh, how cute! What is it?" "It's a human fire extinguisher. Want to hold it?" "What's its name?" "Niagara!" --Jerry Renshaw

Description

Stationed to work side-by-side on a mission in post war Germany, French army officer Henry Rochard (Grant) and American WAC Lieutenant Catherine Gates (Ann Sheridan) fall in love. But just when they decide to marry, Catherine is ordered back to the US - alone! The only way for an alien, including her husband, to enter the US with her, is through the congressional act governing war brides. So?the resourceful Catherine does the obvious ---disguises her husband as a sister WAC in this hilarious classic that the whole family will enjoy.

Customer Reviews:

Just wondering..........2007-03-28

... if Howard Hawks was proud of making this. Sure Cary Grant didn't seem happy playing this part. I can't think of any good actor who'd enjoy being lured into such a preposterous plot which should have got Sheridan some Oscar for impersonating one of the most insufferable bitches on the screen (there's no shortage, but very few were less funny) although the responsibility is more Lederer's disappointing script.

This opinion is for the first 15 min. only, since I don't know if it gets better afterwards, but I couldn't stand it any longer : the last 5 min (of the 15) were an ordeal.

I Was a Male War Bride.......2007-03-27

Not one of Cary Grant's better ones. Too goofy and it didn't look as if he enjoyed the part.

My Favorite Movie.......2007-03-09

This movie is by far one of the greatest movies ever made.
You will laugh all the way thru it..and enjoy when things were so much simplier in Hollywood.

105 Minutes of a Sheer Fun!.......2005-12-12

Howard Hawks's "I Was a Male War Bride"(1949) is one of the most funny movies with Cary Grant I've ever seen. As a matter of fact, it is one of the most hilarious movies ever. The story is set in a postwar Germany, with ruins on the background, but the life seemingly coming more or less to normal. Henri Rochard (Cary Grant) is a French Captain from the French Economic mission, who is often supported in his missions by the US Army Lieutenant Catherine Gates (Ann Sheridan), a sharp-tongued female interpreter. From the very first scene in the movie, when Henri finds Catherine in her office to (quite publicly) return her very personal belongings he'd gotten by mistake in their previous trip, one can see a certain level of attraction, masked by a fierce, but very funny bickering on the subject of their previous work together. As fate would have it, for his new mission Henri is slated to go with Catherine again. The news does not seem to bode well with Henri, who seemed to have had a certain share of mishaps during their previous missions together, which he fully attributed to Catherine. However, he does not have much of a choice and off they go on a search for a skilled lens grafter in Bad Neuheim to save the poor man from the clutches of the black market and put his services to the benefit of society. Catherine's no-nonsense attitude does indeed put poor Henri into some very precarious situations from time to time, but it's not intentional, and Henri gradually comes to realize that. What's more, they grow more and more attached to each other during that trip until they realize that they love each other and want to get married. That's where the most oddball part of the movie begins. Since Catherine is still an officer of the US Army, the marriage has to be approved through the Army channels, causing a lot of consternation and anxiety to the two love birds and really testing their intent to marry. With the marriage finally happening (three times!) life should be full of roses for the newlyweds, but the Army had to have a final laugh and Catherine is ordered to go back to the States right away. Henri is an alien and it would be a matter of a long time before he gets all the papers allowing him to join her in the US. They are running around the bureaucratic offices, trying to secure Henri's departure with her, but it's all in vain, until one of the officials gives them an idea to use the congressional Act granting wider opportunities for the war brides to enter the United States. The only problem is Henri's not a woman! They do manage to get him the war bride status, which leads to more hilarious situations - like poor Henri filling in the questionnaire, where one of the standard questions is whether Mrs. So-and So is pregnant and how many months along! All this finally out of the way exhausted Henri and Catherine reach after all the last obstacle on their trip to the States - the Navy guards are not letting Henri on board the ship and the ship is just about to leave. In a sudden stroke of inspiration, Catherine disguises Henri in the uniform of the Army nurse and they sneak on board of the ship past the sailors. They do get caught eventually, after a hysterical episode when Henri is called upon to fulfill the nurse's duty during childbirth, but the ship is already at sea and nothing can be done about it. They do get to see the Statue of Liberty together after all.
The DVD picture quality is not all that great, just tolerable - apparently they could not do much restoration on it. The special features include the usual Still Gallery, the original trailers, Cary Grant Theater feature - about his other famous films - and a couple of short mute documentary reels on the making of the movies and its first release.

Promises much, delivers practically nothing.......2005-10-31

To begin, I am not a big fan of Cary Grant, EXCEPT in his Hitchcock movies, where he was excellent. And I enjoy him much with Katharine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby. He was very good in The Eagle and the Hawk with Fredric March. He was tolerable in The Philadelphia Story and Talk of the Town. A friend of mine loaned me this DVD; she just bought it. I had wanted to see what Cary would do in this film, and I wanted to see him in the dress. From the start, the movie was SLOW and BORING, all the jokes were so lame and not at all funny. I also don't go for films where the man and woman yell at each other and dislike each other, and then at some point realize it is really love they feel for each other. Come on! I just can't understand that sort of romance situation. I felt Cary showed that "mean streak" he can show in some of his films, in the romance situation of this story. I rate this one star because it was one of those films you get bored with right from the beginning and it is sort of torture waiting for it to finally end. All the while I kept saying, "Let's move along, let's end this thing, when does he put on the dress?..." but they dragged it out on and on and on and on with boring,corny jokes. And the part we wanted to see, Cary in the dress, was at the VERY end and not very much at that. Overall, this film was a real disappointment and letdown. The only consolation was that I saw it for free; I didn't have to buy it or rent it. Still, I wasted good time that I could have used in a more profitable and enjoyable way. I would even have enjoyed washing a kitchen full of dirty dishes more than watching this movie! To sum it up, a VERY VERY BORING and DUMB movie, not to waste your time on.

Average customer rating:

Just don't watch this...
O"Toole is the master.
Peter O'Toole at any price....
Poor quality DVD, but acceptable for the price.
They Shouldn't Have Messed With The Book

Rogue Male
Starring: Peter O'Toole , John Standing , Alastair Sim , Harold Pinter , and Michael Byrne
Director: Clive Donner
Manufacturer: Critic's Choice
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Television | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000CBEX14
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Customer Reviews:

Just don't watch this..........2007-06-12

... if you have read and love the book. All the psychology has been removed. Imagine reading the book with all the first person parts removed. Yes, it really is that bad.

Vapid, terrible adaption of the original story.

O"Toole is the master........2007-02-08

O'Toole gives a weak plot life, his ability to make one believe in his character makes this a worthy project.

Peter O'Toole at any price...........2005-05-29

...but at $3.95, you can't miss.

OK, at times the sound is muffled, the color washes out, there's a bit of streakiness, the picture seems to shake, and it has the appearance of the usual low budget film. BUT, the movie is absolutely riveting and the flaws are minor distractions. I watched it then had to watch it again.

Not the typical commando-trained man on the run flick, as in The Bourne Identity, but a slower paced, perhaps more thoughtful type of story. Sir Robert (O'Toole)goes to ground while being pursued after failing to assassinate Hitler and being tortured then escaping. We see his determination and ingenuity (again, not the usual Hollywood sort of stunts), but also the man he is.

I did not catch on to the reason why he went after Hitler until later in the movie, so disagree with an earlier viewer. However, I've not read the book before seeing the movie. There are hints about what happened and when I realized what had occured, it increased the tension, rather than ruining the end for me.

John Standing is terrific as the pursuer, Harold Pinter has a nice scene, Alistair Sim plays the doddering uncle well, but it is Peter O'Toole who makes the movie.

O'Toole is excellent at dry humor and getting across a page of dialog with just a look. There's a wealth of both in Rogue Male.

It's a shame this movie is not better visually and does not get much notice among O'Toole's works. It is, however, a movie that will keep you guessing about what will happen and is well worth a look. In a recent interview, O'Toole said Rogue Male was his favorite movie and it is easy to see why.

For parents: Since I have kids and do not trust the ratings system (and Rogue Male is unrated), I appreciate reviews that note what might be objectionable for kids.

Rogue Male is intense at times and shows Sir Robert being tortured- blood on his face and facial expressions during 2 incidents. There's a couple other violent moments- nothing very graphic or worse than what they've seen on TV. Teens might find it a bit slow, but interesting. Not for kids under 13.

Poor quality DVD, but acceptable for the price........2004-08-18

The DVD has no closed captions or subtitles, and they're needed due to the poor quality of the sound track. Actually, the DVD appears to have been manufactured reasonable well, and its poor quality is due to its source material. The original film was obviously not a master and shows wear from use and poor storage.

Still, the quality is acceptable enough for me to keep it rather than return it for a refund.

They Shouldn't Have Messed With The Book.......2004-03-11

The novel, by Geoffrey Household, is well-paced and builds to a satisfying climax based on profound revelations. The movie pushes those revelations to the beginning, which robs the main character of his motivation to swing into action at the end. I enjoyed the movie to a point, but this is one of those cases where the film makers would have done better to stay more consistent with the book.

Break His Back In! (Ty Lattimore Entertainment) - Gay Porn DVD

Average customer rating:

Break His Back In! (Ty Lattimore Entertainment) - Gay Porn DVD
Starring: Maverick , Ryan Dickson , Renzo , Bo Henderson , and Marcos Ortiz
Director: Ty Lattimore
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

5 amazing scenes
9 hot guys
Man on Man Action
Great Black Men

ASIN: B000VAQGWA

Product Description

Imagine 9 sexy bruthas lined up and waiting just for you! Watch smokin hot Ty Lattimore and his fucktastic friends nearly break their dicks off as they dive balls deep into tight black crack! From hot chocolate luvas to spicy latino papis, these men love it hard and fast and from every angle!

Average customer rating:

Way more than expected
extraordinary silent film
better than most newer movies
Why De Mille has a poor reputation?
The Admirable De Mille

Male and Female
Starring: Lila Lee , Theodore Roberts , Raymond Hatton , Mildred Reardon , and Gloria Swanson
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00000JMOO
Release Date: 1999-08-17

Description

Cecil B. DeMille's breakthrough production, a satire on class distinctions. Based on James M. Barrie's play "The Admirable Crichton," "Male and Female" made a star of Gloria Swanson (Queen Kelly) and solidified DeMille's standing as a big box office director with one of his more modest, but no less 'big' silent classics.

Customer Reviews:

Way more than expected.......2004-08-06

I had read some of the reviews on this film, and although they do a good job of revealing the basic plot synopsis, they don't fully do it justice.

first of all, when the DVD cover says "lavishly staged", that was really an understatement. sure, i knew about the legendary "King of Babylon" scene and was expecting a lavish DeMille set for that segment, but this statement also applies to the rest of the film as well. for example, i was shocked by the scene of the ship crashing and sinking, with both an external ship torn up on the rocks, as well as amazing internal shots of the rock breaching the hull and Gloria trapped in the flooding water below deck.

the scenes on the island were always beautiful, although one thing that seems to be absent from other reviews is the point of ridiculousness that the castoways nearly descend to. to be frank, i wasn't expecting a depiction of shipwreck that so closely resembeled Gilligan's Island, but when you look at it, there are similarities between the cast: the millionaire, the movie star (Gloria Swanson), the girl next door, even a cowardly comic relief Gilliganesque character, not to mention the admirable Chrichton, whose outlandish inventions put him in the position of the professor. to modern audiences, it is a little absurd to see the grass hut mansion complete with modern furniture and other luxuries, but it isn't any less entertaining.

although the basic premise of the movie is well known, it has probably never been conveyed as well as it was in this film (reference the similar theme in either version of Swept Away). mostly, that credit goes to amazing direction and a stunning cast. one can easily see why Gloria Swanson was one of the world's biggest sensations, because she can evoke sympathy from the audience for even the most undesirable characters like Lady Mary. the cast deserves a standing ovation for their performance, which otherwise could have been just a silly melodrama. instead, we actually do care about the unjust caste system and how it affects the lovers on both sides of the spectrum.

extraordinary silent film.......2002-07-21

This film is a masterpiece that gives you the feel of the time and place of the story line. Gloria Swanson is definitely a superb, passionate, and glamorous actress in the film. The picture quality is very clear and the orchestra sound added makes this movie a time capsule for years to come. This film, without a doubt, is one of gloria swanson's finest moments along with her other films "Sadie Thompson" and "Sunset Boulevard." I strongly recommend this film to those who appreciate a brillant silent film.

better than most newer movies.......2001-11-18

Saw it first on AMC Silent Sundays and loved it. An interesting look at a simpler and slower time. Interesting commentary on class and man's nature. At times, it got a little slow but the great thing about silent films is that in those days the director's challenge was to evoke emotion from the audience through action: the protanganist reacting to note just handed to him, the spying over the shoulder or the reactions to other actors. "I was a King of Bablyon and you were a Christian slave." I own it.

Why De Mille has a poor reputation?.......2001-03-20

A previous reviewer raised an interesting question. He asked "It is really hard to see why De Mille has such a relatively poor reputation, when one sees a film like Male and Female."

This is not really a hard question to answer, but one must understand De Mille and the nature of his politics. De Mille has a poor reputation for many of the same reasons that Elia Kazan was treated so poorly at the Oscars a few years ago by so many in Hollywood and the same reasons why Robert Taylor's name was removed from a building on the old MGM lot.

De Mille was anti-unionist, anti-communist, conservative, Republican; profoundly religious the other things that tend to destroy one's reputation in Hollywood. In the 1940's De Mille was forced out of the host position of Lux Radio Theatre because he refused to join the union of AFRA, (now Aftra).

What is often forgotten about De Mille is that he was, along with Samuel Goldfish, and Jesse L. Lasky, one of the founders of Paramount and in the early days of that studio, he was the creative force. He not only directed and produced many of the company's films, but also was in control of the company's entire output, writing scripts and directing sequences in films assigned to other directors. De Mille is often credited as the first man to film (the 1914 Squaw Man) in Hollywood. He did more than any other man to make Hollywood the greatest film center of the World. He handled every genre in film and even invented some that never existed before.

In the mid 20's, De Mille sold his shares in Paramount and joined MGM briefly where he made some of his worst films such as the eccentric Madame Satan.

De Mille doesn't deserve the poor reputation that he has. He was a cut above most of his competitors in narrative skills, pacing of action, in gauging public tastes and anticipating the changing moods of the nation. He developed some of Hollywood's brightest and most famous stars. He was a master storyteller and his films almost always entertained. But in Hollywood, as the truely blacklisted Kazan, Adolph Menjou and William Dmytryk found, your reputation is often judged on your politics and not by your product.

The Admirable De Mille.......2001-02-06

It is really hard to see why De Mille has such a relatively poor reputation, when one sees a film like Male and Female. He is often lambasted and compared unfavourably with other silent directors, but De Mille outlasted most of them, not least because he was a great storyteller. The story of Male and Female, adapted from J.M. Barrie's The Admirable Crichton, is amusing and an interesting comment on class difference. The performances are naturalistic and subtle showing silent acting at its best. This film offers an especially welcome opportunity to see a very young Gloria Swanson. Her famous bath scene is much less modest than one would expect in a post production-code film, though its hardly shocking by today's standards. Her descent into a Babylonian lion's den is quite startling and not at all gratuitous (as the DVD box would have it) for the film has a number of plot points which build up to this 'dream' sequence. This DVD is really top notch, for the print is first class with very little deterioration. It is well tinted, with appropriate colours and greys. The music adds to the viewing experience, fitting in well with the mood and the pace of the film. I have only seen two of De Mille's silent films and only a few of his talkies, this film made me wish to see many more.

Average customer rating:

Primal Man - Nude Photo Shoots 3

Manufacturer: CustomFlix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Art & Artists | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000KGGMMY
Release Date: 2006-11-09

The Lady Eve (1941. Henry Fonda, Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Coburn)

Average customer rating:

The Lady Eve (1941. Henry Fonda, Barbara Stanwyck, Charles Coburn)
Director: Preston Sturges
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Dial a Freak (Ty Lattimore Entertainment) - Gay DVD

Average customer rating:

Dial a Freak (Ty Lattimore Entertainment) - Gay DVD
Starring: Chicago , Tankk , Ryan Dickson , and Jacoby
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Hot Black Men
Ty Lattimore
Great man on man action

ASIN: B000V6W63W

Product Description

Finally the wait is over. In the first video "A Little Off the Top" we took you into one of Atlanta's hottest barbershops. Well now we got some hot black men in Atlanta during the winter looking for some body heat and some hot sex to keep warm. But what do you do when you do not feel like partying, cruising the clubs, or the bookstores? Here in tha dirty south, you get online, get on the chat lines or you call a freak over.

Average customer rating:

Primal Man - Nude Photo Shoots 4

Manufacturer: CustomFlix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000LP66PC
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Average customer rating:

Not for everyone but great!
Give this movie a chance!
What a waste of time!!
One of the worst movies of all time
Funny

Black Male
Starring: Justin Pierce , Sascha Knopf , Bokeem Woodbine , Bruno Gioiello , and Richard Craven (II)
Director: George Baluzy , and Mike Baluzy
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: 6305871221
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Description

Money, love and guns. It's payback time. Jimmy (Bokeem Woodbine) and Luther (Justin Pierce) are con-men who've hit rock bottom. In a desperate move, they plan to blackmail a doctor to pay off their loan shark. What they didn't count on was their victim being more dangerous than the shark. Action explodes on the streets when the two end up in a showdown with the cops, the loan shark and the psychotic who takes them all on a ride for $100,000 in cash.

Full Frame - Color - English - Stereo

Customer Reviews:

Not for everyone but great!.......2006-10-28

Some people like to forget that their comment is simply THEIR opinion and assume the rest of the world must agree.
If you like cool movies with a twist of thrills and comedy, you may want to check this out.
I personally thought is was awesome and is worth at least a rent if your looking for something different.

Give this movie a chance!.......2006-08-21

I admit, for the first ten or fifteen minutes I thought I was going to have to detroy this dvd and any evidence that I had purchased it. But I gave it a chance and this turned out to be one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Whoever was in charge of marketing this film ought to be fired, because judging from the cover one would expect to see a action/thriller. Well, it has action, a bit of gore but it's mostly a comedy. Very funny stuff! I recommend it to anyone with a slightly deranged sense of humor!

What a waste of time!!.......2004-02-24

This movie was ridiculous. I was hoping maybe it would have a good story line, butI could tell from the very first scene that it was gonna be whack and I was right. If you decide to have a day of watching the worst movies of all time, be sure to include this one! Too bad I couldn't give it half a star, it didn't really deserve that.

One of the worst movies of all time.......2003-10-12

Bokeem Woodbine did good work in "THE BIG HIT", "DEAD PRESIDENTS" & "GRIDLOCK'D" but after them he has only done crap, besides his movie "NEW BREED" these is his worst...

It's actually one of the worst movies of all time, and who was the guy who named it BLACK MALE? Bokeem's race has nuthin to do with the movie, and the big role is played buy an unknown British actor who's about as good as Steven Segal at acting...

Lousy script, everything sucks!

Funny.......2003-06-13

This movie is entertaining, period. The joke is on you when you begin to take the movie seriously. pretty soon you realize that the villan is a crack smoking serial killer with a disposition and voice of an English Prince.

Average customer rating:

Boot Black
Starring: Daryl Brock , Zak Spears , Tanner Reeves , Dallas Taylor , and Matt Gunther
Director: Chi Chi LaRue
Manufacturer: Cab
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Features:

Interactive Menus
Chapter Index
DVD ROM Compatible
Jump To Your Favorite Scene
No Region Code, Playable Worldwide

ASIN: B000MIU6C2

Product Description

Meet Jake, the Boot Black. In the macho underworld, his job keeps him on his knees. His specialties: spit polish and high gloss shine.

DVD:

DVD

DVD