FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XXV - Collection Featuring John H. Auer's The Flame (1947), City That Never Sleeps (1953) And Hell's Half Acre (1954)

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Product Description: This collection features three film noir classics from Republic Pictures and director John H. Auer (A Man Betrayed):

THE FLAME (1947) – George MacAllister (John Carroll, Flying Tigers) is the black sheep of a wealthy family who has squandered his share of the family inheritance and lives in constant resentment of his rich, terminally-ill half-brother Barry (Robert Paige, Tangier). So George gets his girlfriend, Carlotta Duval (vivacious Vera Ralston, The Lady and the Monster), a job as Barry’s nurse with the plan that she will eventually marry him for his money and then dispose of him. But the scheme turns complicated when Carlotta finds that she is really in love with Barry. Co-starring Broderick Crawford (Human Desire), Henry Travers (Shadow of a Doubt) and Hattie McDaniel (Gone with the Wind).

CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS (1953) – The Creeps, the Hoods, and the Killers Come Out to War with the City! In the vein of William Wyler’s popular Detective Story of two years earlier, this gritty noir gem juggles around five characters through a particularly bad night in a Chicago police precinct: stressed-out cop Johnny Kelly (Gig Young, Wake of the Red Witch); lounge singer Sally “Angel Face” Connors (Mala Powers, Outrage); thug-for-hire Hayes Stewart (William Talman, Crashout); corrupt district attorney Penrod Biddel (Edward Arnold, Johnny Eager); and Sgt. Joe (Chill Wills, Giant), an honest cop trying to keep Johnny on a straight path. Striking urban cinematography by John L. Russell (Psycho) and another great bad-girl performance by noir goddess Marie Windsor (Force of Evil).

HELL’S HALF ACRE (1954) – City of Sin…Toughest Spot in the Pacific! This Hawaii-set noir tells the twisting tale of ex-racketeer Chet Chester (Wendell Corey, Desert Fury), who is being blackmailed by his former partners-in-crime. When Chester’s gal Sally (Nancy Gates, Suddenly) kills one of his enemies, he assumes that he has enough clout to get a lighter sentence and takes the rap. Meanwhile, a visitor from L.A. (Evelyn Keyes, 99 River Street) comes to believe that Chester is the husband she thought she had lost at Pearl Harbor. Written by Steve Fisher (I Wake Up Screaming) and shot by ace D.P. John L. Russell (Moonrise), this offbeat crime yarn features standout support from Elsa Lanchester (Bride of Frankenstein), Jesse White (Witness to Murder), Leonard Strong (The Naked Jungle), Keye Luke (Gremlins), Philip Ahn (Macao) and the great Marie Windsor (The Killing).

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New on Blu-ray: TEACHER'S PET (1958) Starring Clark Gable and Doris Day

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Product Description: Film legends Clark Gable (Run Silent, Run Deep) and Doris Day (The Ballad of Josie) headline a comedy with class! Gable (in one of his finest late-career performances) plays Jim Gannon, a school-of-hard-knocks newspaperman who despises journalism schools…until he sees who’s doing the teaching. Attracted to lovely professor Erica Stone (Day), he masquerades as a novice in her class. Soon he’s her prize pupil, all the while trying to make her his own prize. Also answering the roll call in this engaging romp are giggle-inducing Gig Young (Oscar-nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, 1958), Mamie Van Doren, Nick Adams and Jack Albertson. Ready, class? Today we conjugate “to laugh” in this grade-A romantic comedy classic from producer William Perlberg (Miracle on 34th Street), director George Seaton (The Country Girl, Airport) and scribes Fay and Michael Fanin (Oscar®-nominated for Best Original Screenplay, 1958)!

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New on Blu-ray: FOR LOVE OR MONEY (1963) Starring Kirk Douglas, Mitzi Gaynor and Gig Young

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Product Description: Square-jawed screen icon Kirk Douglas (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral) takes a delightfully zany turn and plays matchmaker to three luscious sisters in the sparkling romantic comedy For Love or Money co-starring Mitzi Gaynor and Gig Young. Despairing at her three daughters’ choices in men, an eccentric widow (Thelma Ritter) pays attorney Deke Gentry (Douglas) $100,000 to pair them up with pre-chosen mates. Although he easily fixes up Bonnie (Julie Newmar) and Jan (Leslie Parrish), sister Kate (Gaynor) proves to be a more troublesome match. Set up with a boozy baby-food magnate (Young) who continually stands her up, Kate soon discovers who’s the better catch and decides to bag Deke instead. Deke was hired to mate them…but not to date them! Devilishly directed by Michael Gordon (Pillow Talk, Texas Across the River), this ’60s screwball farce is frothy, fabulous fun!

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New on Blu-ray: KID GALAHAD (1962) Starring Elvis Presley

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Product Description: Needing the side cash, ex-soldier/mechanic Water Gullick (Elvis Presley) agreed to spar for sleazy Catskills boxing promoter Willy Grogan (Gig Young). After Grogan recognized the talented kid's ring potential, his rise up the fight cards brought them up against results-rigging thug Lew Nyack (Charles Bronson). Fine remake of the '37 bell-ringing classic offers Elvis tunes like "King of the Whole Wide World" and "I Got Lucky;" Lola Albright, Joan Blackman also star. 95 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English

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New on Blu-ray: STRANGE BEDFELLOWS (1965) Starring Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida

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Product Description: Screen great Rock Hudson (Man’s Favorite Sport?) and Italian bombshell Gina Lollobrigida (Come September) are an estranged couple on the verge of a riotous reconciliation in this delightful comic confection. Carter Harrison (Hudson) is a high-powered company exec who needs to polish up his public image. When a P.R. expert (Gig Young, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?) tells him the answer lies in patching up his shaky marriage, Carter jets off to London to rekindle the affections of his fiery Italian wife Toni (Lollobrigida)—who is already planning her second marriage. But even as she begins to repeat the outrageously eccentric behaviors that split them up in the first place, Carter finds himself falling in love with the irresistible Toni all over again. Wonderfully directed by Melvin Frank (Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell, A Touch of Class), Strange Bedfellows is a rollicking cinematic treat filled with slapstick antics and hilarious sight gags!

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Classic Movies: THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY ? (1969) - Special Edition

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Product Description: Screen legend Jane Fonda (Coming Home) stars in this vivid, fascinating film as a woman driven to seize her last best chance during the very worst of times. A brilliant achievement by director Sydney Pollack (The Scalphunters), They Shoot Horses, Don t They? is a stunning period piece recognized as one of the most highly acclaimed films of its time.

In Depression-era America, desperation spawned a bizarre fad: the dance marathon where couples competed to stay on their feet for thousands of hours, and audiences flocked to watch. But Gloria (Fonda) doesn't think of herself as a spectacle. She is a fierce, unforgiving contestant in a battle she's determined to win. At stake is much more than the $1,500 prize; the event is her only hope for dignity, accomplishment and salvation.

The stellar cast includes Michael Sarrazin (The Reincarnation of Peter Proud), Susannah York (The Killing of Sister George), Gig Young (Five Miles to Midnight), Red Buttons (The Poseidon Adventure), Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard), Bruce Dern (The Laughing Policeman), Michael Conrad (Monte Walsh) and Al Lewis (The Munsters).

Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Actress (Fonda), Supporting Actress (York), Director (Pollack), Screenplay (James Poe, Robert E. Thompson) and winner of Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Young).

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