Bernard and the Genie

Description

Sacked, jilted, his apartment stripped bare...it's just not Bernard Bottle's day. all he has left is an old Arabic lamp, and when he gives it a good polish, the ensuing explosion puts him in a hospital. He returns home - to a very large genie (Lenny Henry) wearing very large pants and an even larger frown. Once he has calmed down, however, the Genie is delighted with the wonders of civilization: ice cream, Big Macs, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Barry White's Greatest Hits. And Bernard (Alan Cumming) is delighted with having his very own genie to fill his flat with art treasures and exact revenge on his exceptionally evil boss (Rowan Atkinson), his ex-fiancee and his ex-best friend.

Customer Reviews:

Benard and the Genie.......2007-01-29

I love this Christmas movie. It is British, but adorable. Funny from beginning to end. -- A fantasy about a genie who grants Benard all his wishes for Christmas. But the especially cute part is the Genie knew Jesus when he was alive. A must see movie!

What a great cast...but not their greatest work.......2006-04-26

I searched high and low for this title before finding it at Amazon. In it Lenny Henry plays a genie plunked down in modern day. So many new conveniences to enjoy and so much to catch up on he doesn't what to do first. Alan Cummings plays his geekie master who is in the process of experiencing the ultimate worst day ever at the hands of his evil boss played by Rowan Atkinson. Worse still it is Christmas. It is a diverting change from other Christmas movies. With a phenomenal cast I had high expectations for this title, but this made for TV movie fails to sparkle. The real problem is that there is no new ground covered in this film.

Bernard and the Genie.......2005-09-30

We have been looking for this movie forever..... and finally found it on Amazon.com. Thank you!! We just love it, great Christmas movie...

Take Out My Eyeballs And Fry Them In Ginger!!!!.......2005-09-04

This is without a doubt a brilliant DVD, I first saw this film as a 9 yeat old and have loved it since forever!
I can't believe that this film isn't available to buy in the shops, if anyone reading this review fondly remembers Bernard and the Genie then i beg you, buy this DVD!!! its brilliant.

I'll believe it when I see it.......2004-12-29

I'll be convinced that an official DVD actually exists when I have it in my hands. There is a bootleg DVD out there transfered from VHS which might account for a reported "fuzzy" quality of the image. Claims on Ebay that DVD copies of Bernard are "very rare and hard to find" but at the same time "new" only increases my suspicion that these are VHS copies.

Average customer rating:

Dated? Of course, it's over 50 years old!
Star studded movie; adaptation of a great musical
Great Sinatra vehicle!
Pal Joey
Great Rita Hayworth

Pal Joey [Region 2]
Starring: Rita Hayworth , Frank Sinatra , Kim Novak , Barbara Nichols , and Bobby Sherwood
Director: George Sidney (II)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00009V8XT

Amazon.com

First born in the pages of The New Yorker, then translated into a hit Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical, the title character of Pal Joey had undergone quite a transformation by the time he hit the movies in 1957. He was a singer, rather than a dancer, but more importantly he'd had his rough edges sweetly softened; the callous heel dreamed up by novelist John O'Hara was more of a naughty scamp in the film version. However, Pal Joey remains delightfully watchable for two very good reasons: a terrific song score and a surplus of glittering star power. Frank Sinatra, at the zenith of his cocky, world-on-a-string popularity, glides through the film with breezy nonchalance, romancing showgirl Kim Novak (Columbia Pictures' new sex symbol) and wealthy widow Rita Hayworth (Columbia Pictures' former sex symbol). The film also benefits from location shooting in San Francisco, caught in the moonlight-and-supper-club glow of the late '50s. Sinatra does beautifully with the Rodgers and Hart classics "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" and "I Could Write a Book," and his performance of "The Lady Is a Tramp" (evocatively shot by director George Sidney) is flat-out genius. Sinatra's ease with hep-cat lingo nearly outdoes Bing Crosby at his best, and included in the DVD is a trailer in which Sinatra instructs the audience in "Joey's Jargon," a collection of hip slang words such as "gasser" and "mouse." If not one of Sinatra's very best movies, Pal Joey is nevertheless a classy vehicle that fits like a glove. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Dated? Of course, it's over 50 years old!.......2007-09-09

Having long been familiar with both theatrical and soundtrack recordings of "Pal Joey" I felt I was past due to view the movie. First and foremost pointing out that the film is dated would be a totally unwarranted and unjustified point. This film holds up well even after 50+ years. Some feel that Gene Kelly should have reprised his Broadway role in the movie but had Sinatra not been the force that he was it is highly likely that the movie itself would have never been made. Production values are maybe a bit below what I would have expected for a feature musical of the period but certainly there is nothing here to complain about. Sinatra is in fine voice with maybe the definative reading of "Lady is a Tramp", Hayworth for me was perfect, at least until the dream sequence just prior to the end of the film and Novak might have slighly unplayed her role but was quite beautiful and an excellent choice for the role. What others have failed to point out is that neither Hayworth nor Novak did their own singing. Jo Anne Greer was the wonderful singer of "ZIP" & "Bewitched" both credited to Hayworth's character while Judy Erwin handled Novak's vocals including "My Funny Valentine". (Trivia note: Rita Hayworth's "Put the Blame on Mame" from the movie "Glida" was actually song by Anita Ellis.) My only real complaint with the film was the dream sequence near the film's end. This sequence looks cheap in technique and quite honestly doesn't advance the story as I think was intended. All in all it's a very pleasant couple of hours with music most interested in this title will remember and a true star turn for all three of the headliners.

Star studded movie; adaptation of a great musical.......2007-09-06

This is a less than successful movie version of a hit 1940 Broadway musical Pal Joey, written by John O'Hara, with music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. The musical is modified in several ways. Of the original 14 Rodgers and Hart songs, 8 remained with the movie. Sinatra sings classics such as; "I Didn't Know What Time It was" and "I Could Write a Book," and "The Lady Is a Tramp;" and "My Funny Valentine" by Linda English is perhaps the best parts of the movie.

The story is about a singer named Joey Evans (Frank Sinatra), known for his womanizing ways is an out of work singer looking for a job in San Francisco. He meets a chorus girl named Linda English (Kim Novak), slowly, but steadily their friendship blossoms into love and romance. In the meantime, he develops a relationship with a wealthy widow named Vera Simpson (Rita Hayworth) to seek her help to finance his dream, "Chez Joey", a night club of his own. When the new night club is about to open, Vera finds about Joey and Linda, and she asks Joey to fire Linda, and he refuses, and Vera withdraws support for the night club. Joey and Vera use each other to the bitter end, ultimately Vera gives in, and Joey wins not only the club but also his prize, Linda. The movie has somewhat unrealistic ending; except for the fine performance of Frank Sinatra, his costars Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak are not very impressive.

My Funny Valentine - Frederica Von Stade Sings Rodgers & HartSings Rodgers & HartThe Musicality of Rodgers & HartWith a Song in My Heart: The Songs of Rodgers & HartWith a Song in My Heart: The Songs of Rodgers & Hart

Great Sinatra vehicle!.......2007-09-02

I remember really enjoying this movie in my youth and I hadn't seen it since I saw it in the theater and it didn't disappoint. Great songs and a real nice print. I recommend it if you are a Sinatra fan. Bob S.

Pal Joey.......2007-08-23

Of course the movie is fine, that why I ordered it.
Service from Amazon was great as usuall

Great Rita Hayworth.......2007-06-05

Rita Hayworth is the only reason for watching this film, and Kim Novak is good. The rest is not good..the script of the original Pal Joey has been completely re-written to accomodate Sinatra, and this means the thinnest of plots, the transposition of songs, elimination of numbers that make him look bad, and the suits and pants with football padding to disguise thinness and age.

This was the musical Sinatra wanted; he was sure he could carry a film, certainly a musical film. He had seen M Brando take the lead in Guys and Dolls, and he reacted negatively toward Barndo all through the shoot of Guys and Dolls. Thank God Brando secured that lead!

Sinatra's voice in Pal Joey is very bad, his style of acting is no style at all, and his acting, even on its one note foundation, is excruciating. He needed Gene Kelly and others to fill in when he made MGM musicals; he was never a star, and Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak eclipse him in every scene,proving that point.
Too bad, because this was a very good show, on Broadway, with Gene Kelly, who should have done this picture, or Marlon Brando, certainly Brando.

See this for Rita and her number, Zipped, and forget the rest.

See also, Kim, sing (dubbing)My Funny Valentine, and how it gets ruined as you watch Sinatra's reactions to it.

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